International Journal of Advanced Research in Chemical Science (IJARCS) Volume 2, Issue 4, April 2015, PP 33-40 ISSN 2349-039X (Print) & ISSN 2349-0403 (Online) www.arcjournals.org ©ARC Page | 33 Wastewater Treatment Facility of HIDECO Sugar Milling Company (HISUMCO) In Kananga, Leyte Philippines: A Key to Environmental Management Neil L. Egloso 1 , Jose Sherwin O. Seville 2 , Chona L. Icay 3 Faculty, College of Arts and Sciences Palompon Institute of Technology Palompon, Leyte 6538, Philippines nex_25@yahoo.com 1 , winville16@yahoo.com 2 , chona_icay2@yahoo.com.ph 3 Abstract: A sugar manufacturing industry in Kananga Leyte, discharges 3020 m 3 of wastewater daily. The raw wastewater has a very high pH (12), contains a lot of suspended solids (1500 mg/L) and has a very high oxygen demand for biological degradation of organic and inorganic microorganism. This waste if discharged untreated would harm the environment. The BOD-COD ratio of the raw wastewater; it appears that the water is composed of highly biodegradable organic matters that an application of a biological treatment process like an activated sludge process is highly suitable. From the comparisons between the effluent parameters values and the respective DENR effluent standards, it was drawn out that HISUMCO effluent has passed the DENR’s standards; therefore, HISUMCO wastewater treatment facility in the form of an activated sludge is efficient in treating their highly organic wastewater from sugar processing with an overall plant efficiency of 98.5%. Keywords: Activated sludge, biological treatment, BOD, biological degradation, Philippines 1. INTRODUCTION In the 21st century of World Commission on Water affirmed “More than one-half of the world’s major rivers are being seriously depleted and polluted, degrading and poisoning the surrounding ecosystems, thus threatening the health and livelihood of people who depend upon them for irrigation, drinking and industrial water.” In the Philippines, the Committee on Ecology of the House of Representatives has drafted the “Philippine Clean Water Act” whose purpose is to prevent, control and abate water pollution by applying both command and control regulatory methods with economic instruments The new statute provides for a water quality management system, institutional mechanisms, incentives program and liability and penalty provisions including citizens suits. The Clean Water Act mandates the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to implement a comprehensive water quality management program to guarantee effective water utilization and conservation. The DENR will serve as the primary government agency responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the Act, in coordination with the local government units, and other government agencies. Although the Phil. Clean Water Act of 2004 has come into existence, evaluation on the capability of the wastewater treatment facility is very important to effectively manage the operation. The choice was based on the existing waste water treatment facility inside the HISUMO Sugar Industry, which is the area of the study. Wastewater is treated to stabilize the waste material, that is, to make it less putrescible. The effluent from the waste water treatment plant may be discharged into receiving body. In the case of HISUMCO wastewater treatment plant, effluent is the non-potable water source of locators after domestic wastewater has undergone several stages of treatment operations.