To address water shortage: Firms told to embrace wastewater technology

CEBU, Philippines —  Companies are encouraged to maximize wastewater technologies to help solve water supply scarcity in Cebu.

MRII chairman Antonio Camelo Tompar suggested that with limited water resources, more companies opt to recycle wastewater than do desalination.

Tompar said Israel’s success in wastewater recycling allows them to survive droughts and even exports water to neighboring countries.

“You reduce the demand for potable water by reusing, then you have cheaper water,” Tompar said.

However, Local Government Units (LGUs) and private companies in Cebu have now started to embrace this new way of water management. “But there’s more to be done.”

He added that Spain for instance recycles 20 percent of its wastewater, making it the second largest nation for water reuse.

Desalination should be seriously considered by companies, as the technology’s cost is getting affordable.

“This time, commercial establishments, industries have realized that they have to install secondary water supply source, and desalination is taking an important role in this need," said Tompar.

Desalination is the process of removing salinity (dissolved salts), from a salt water source, or brackish water.