Section 14Sec./Art. 14

Discharge Pemits. - The Department shall require owners or operators of facilities that discharge regulated effluents pursuant to this Act to secure a permit to discharge. The discharge permit shall be the legal authorization granted by the Department to discharge wastewater: Provided, That the discharge permit shall specify among others, the quantity and quality of effluent that said facilities are allowed to discharge into a particular water body, compliance schedule and monitoring requirement.

As part of the permitting procedure, the Department shall encourage the adoption of waste minimization and waste treatment technologies when such technologies are deemed cost effective. The Department shall also develop procedures to relate the current water quality guideline or the projected water quality guideline of the receiving water body/ies with total pollution loadings from various sources, so that effluent quotas can be properly allocated in the discharge permits. For industries without any discharge permit, they may be given a period of twelve {12) months after the effectivity of the implementing rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this Act, to secure a discharge permit.

Effluent trading may be allowed per management area.

ARTICLE 3

FINANCIAL LIABILITY MECHANISM