BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio Water District (BWD) will embark on a 3-pronged approach to effectively and efficiently address the projected impending water shortage in the city within the next several years.
Engr. Salvador Royeca, BWD general manager, cited the water district management is doing everything within its powers to prevent the occurrence of water crisis in the city, assuring that water sully in its area of operation is still within manageable level and consumers receive water supply at least three times a week depending on their location.
Among the 3-pronged approach being undertaken by the BWD, according to Royeca, includes the digging of additional deep wells in strategic areas in the city, the rehabilitation of its Mount Sto. Tomas rain catchment basin and the revival of other catchment basins in other watersheds and the adoption of the bulk water supply project of the city which is being subjected to the appropriate feasibility study.
“To conclude that there will be a water shortage in the city is unfair because it would project that BWD is not doing anything to address it. We are doing available means to prevent such water shortage,” Royeca stressed.
In terms of its deep well projects, the BWD official revealed two deep wells have been programmed to be completed this year, one deep well will be completed this year while four other deep wells will be completed by the year 2017.
At the same time, BWD is also working out the stoppage of operation of over 100 illegal deep wells in the different parts of the city which had been operating without the expressed authority of the water district pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations governing the operation of deep wells in the locality.
It was learned that there are now 225 deep wells that are operating in the different parts of the city that compete with the BWD deep wells in the drilling of potable water from the different aquifers in the city.
According to him, the proposed rehabilitation of the Mount Sto. Tomas rain catchment basin will also contribute in stabilizing the potable water supply of southern and central Baguio as it will significantly increase its capacity of more or less 600,000 cubic meters annually making the occurrence of water shortage a remote possibility in the future once all interventions will be put in place, he said.
BWD’s rapidly increasing number of consumers receive water at least thrice a week but those in highly elevated areas suffer from water shortage during the summer months because of the weak pressure that could not pump up the water to the mountainous villages such as Quirino Hill, Quezon Hill, Aurora Hill among others.
Moreover, BWD is also awaiting final results of the feasibility studies in relation to the long overdue bulk water supply projects to ascertain whether or not venturing on such alternative would be feasible and would guarantee affordable water cost to the consumers once such option will be approved by the BWD Board of Directors.
Royeca cited the cost per cubic meter of the bulk water supply project has yet to be ascertained considering that the three proponents of the bulk water have still to divulge where they will source the over 50,000 cubic meters of potable water daily.
