With limited water supply, public urged to conserve water
by Jel SantosThe Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), National Water Resources Board (NWRB), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday urged the public to conserve water as there is currently a limited supply of it.
Retired Lieutenant Gen. Emmanuel Salamat, MWSS administrator, called on everyone to be responsible in using water and gear up for the coming dry season.
“We have limited water supply and it will take years for us to have new water sources,” he said during the launch of “Oplan Tubig Para sa Kinabukasan.” The project aims to encourage everyone to be knowledgeable of the current water situation and to be prepared at all times.
“We all need water to live and we can all do something to ensure that we continuously enjoy this precious resource even in our own little ways,” MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim added.
Lim stressed the importance of water in people’s everyday life, saying water is potent and must not go to waste.
“We use water in our everyday use and we use it more when natural disaster hits us. The demand for potable water increases in areas where calamities strike,” the MMDA chairman noted.
According to him, Filipinos must come together and work together to achieve the goal of the campaign.
“There is clearly a need for us to work together in this campaign especially with our current water situation. We need to reach as many Filipinos as we can and educate them on how we can help from the demand side.”
Lim said that MMDA will push for the participation of the local governments in the metropolis, saying each LGU will have its own advocacy videos to show its constituents its commitment for responsible water usage.
NWRB data revealed that Angat Dam, which is the primary source of water in Metro Manila, is now at 188.6 meters – 23.4 meters lower than the expected 212 meters elevation by the end of the year.
Over 15 million people are being served by water coming from Angat Dam, and this number continues to grow each year, NWRB Executive Director Dr. Sevillo David said.
Interior and Local Government Sec. Eduardo Año is bullish that the campaign will inspire the public to conserve and responsibly use water. “We hope that with this campaign, individuals and communities will be inspired and encouraged to use water responsibly and to abide by the water-related initiatives set by their respective LGUs.”