The Baguio Water District (BWD) supports the proposed put up of rain water harvesting facilities in residential and commercial structures in the city to help in partly addressing the need for substantial supply of potable water by the increasing number of residents and tourists.
BWD general manager Engr. Salvador M. Royeca said that the water district also supports the enactment of an ordinance requiring owners of residential, commercial and industrial structures to establish their own rain water harvesting facilities within their properties for them to help in partially reducing their dependence on the BWD for their water supply requirements.
He pointed out that the water district will not be heavily burdened once a significant number of residential and commercial structures in the city will have their own rain water harvesting facilities because people will have alternative sources of water during the dry season where there is always a peak demand for potable water supply from both residents and tourists alike.
The BWD general manager claimed that during the rainy season, residents can store water in their respective rain water harvesting facilities which they can use during the summer months when there is limited water supply from the water district so that the latter’s water sources will not be burdened to produce the needed demand and to avoid its open and spring sources from drying up.
According to him, the put up of rain water harvesting facilities within residential and commercial buildings in the city will definitely be a good investment on the part of the owners because they can reduce their monthly water bills, especially if they will not be too dependent on the water supply from BWD for their daily requirements.
However, he stipulated that the water districts understand the possible limitations encountered by property owners in putting up their own water harvesting facilities such as space limitation, budgetary needs, among others, that is why it still surely will take some time before such endeavor will be realized in the city.
Royeca expressed hope that the proposed ordinance mandating owners of residential and commercial structures will be enacted the soonest so that people can contribute in water conservation efforts in the short, medium and long term, especially with the possible depletion of the water district’s open and spring sources. By Dexter A. See
