Water disputes, the new water superbody and water conservation

It’s sweltering, sticky summer weather and some days feel like we’re moving inside one giant furnace. For many of us, the way to cope is to plunge into a pool or take a shower not just once but several times a day.

Unfortunately, while we want to just soak in water these days, it’s also the time when we need to conserve this precious commodity the most.

It’s good that President Marcos signed last month the order creating the Water Resources Management Office (WRMO), which is meant to address water-related challenges in the country such as increasing demand for water due to population and economic growth, impact of climate change, lack of infrastructure,inconsistent government regulations. And conflicts.

Yes, this new water superbody has many roles and functions and was also given the authority to resolve conflicts involving water claims.

This is especially important because we can better manage water resources if disputes are handled properly.

LGU water dispute

This early, the new agency’s conflict resolution function could soon face its first acid test due to a bitter dispute over a fresh water spring in the province of Bohol, the beautiful Bugwak Spring.

As reported by The STAR on Monday, two local government units – Sevilla and Balilihan in Bohol – have conflicting claims over Bugwak Spring.

Sevilla is claiming ownership over Bugwak Spring while its neighboring town Balilihan has already appropriated the water resource for its own use.

Thus, the municipal government of Sevilla has asked Balilihan to remove a P95-million water facility built on its property, The STAR reported.

Sevilla’s municipal council adopted a resolution saying that Balilihan town officials and their representatives “clandestinely” built a water pumping station in Bugwak Spring without the consent and approval of LGU Sevilla.

Erroneous coordinates

The root of the issue, it seems, is erroneous coordinates.

“Records at the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) show that the National Irrigation Administration provided wrong area coordinates, which resulted in claims that the spring is located in Barangay Sto. Nino in Balilihan instead of Barangay Magsaysay in Sevilla. Sevilla officials said the NWRB approved the Balilihan water project despite the error in the location due to wrong coordinates,” The STAR also reported.

I believe this may be the first major test case for the new water superbody.

The current dispute shows that LGUs will fight over scarce water resources.

Thus, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, NWRB and now WRMO should be able to resolve conflicts over water resources carefully and judiciously.

NWRB, for its part, has earlier ordered Balilihan to submit its reply to Sevilla’s petition, which the LGU filed as early as June 2022.

“[T]he LGU of Balilihan is hereby directed to file an answer, not a motion to dismiss, to the attached petition…],” the NRWB said.

As I write this, the issue has not been resolved but I hope it is addressed soon.

I am citing this case as an example of how important it is to resolve water-related issues and conflicts in helping local communities and the rest of the country have access to water.

Water quality

And while we’re at it, the WRMO and NWRB should also consistently check and monitor the quality of water being extracted from Bugwak Spring and distributed to various communities in Balilihan.

I believe the creation of WRMO is very timely, if not a long time coming.

Everyday, we face challenges because of scarce and mismanaged water resources.

It’s quite ironic that while the Philippines is blessed with freshwater sources and tremendous amounts of rain, the country continues to face severe water shortage.

Experts have already warned that a water crisis is projected to worsen by 2040 if we stay business-as-usual.

And we all know what happens if there is a severe water shortage. It would have far-reaching effects on the health and welfare of Filipinos, not to mention its adverse impact on economic growth.

Water conservation

Aside from properly managing water resources, the government should also push for serious water conservation efforts.

As consumers, there are many ways we can conserve water – from reducing the time we spend in the shower to recycling potable water for other needs such as cleaning and watering plants.

In a hotel in Cape Town in South Africa, the bathrooms have an hourglass so that guests can time their baths.

That’s how conscious they are of the need to conserve water. We should be conscious of that, too.

Car wash, pools

A reader also recently pointed out the need to regulate car wash establishments, which we all know use high pressure potable water.

Last March, NWRB executive director Sevillo David Jr. was interviewed on One News’ The Chiefs, where he said that they were indeed considering regulating car wash shops and swimming pool operators.

I think this is a good move and it should be done now. Industry data show that one car wash uses up to 100 cubic meters of water equivalent to the needs of 2,000 households.

As the reader pointed out, “It is irritating to see residents lining up before water tankers to get a few plastic liters of water for cooking and personal hygiene, while a short distance away, cars are being washed with high pressure clean potable water.”

“Our neighborhood has three car wash shops,” the reader noted.

Indeed, the regulators and the new water superbody have a lot to do when it comes to resolving our water-related challenges.

I hope they act now before the water runs dry.

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Email: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.