Bulk water supply seen to solve Baguio’s water woes

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Ample water supply is not assured in highly urbanized cities like Baguio due to continuously increasing demand, pushing local water supply utilities to look for possible sources that would augment consumers’ needs. 

Baguio Water District (BWD) General Manager Salvador Royeca said that Baguio City is facing a serious water problem and this will get worse if the local population continues to grow at its current rate, with no sustainable solutions for water management put in place.

Thus, BWD is awaiting the result of the feasibility studies conducted by 3 private firms on a proposed bulk water project in the country’s summer capital.

Royeca said there were 4 companies which signified interest to conduct a feasibility study on the project but only 3 submitted their papers, asking for technical assistance from BWD.

The 3 firms are Maynilad Water Services, Incorporated (Maynilad) which services the west zone of Metropolitan Manila;  Ayala-led Manila Water Company that serves the east zone of Metro Manila; and, Prime Water Infrastructure Corporation in Las Piñas, owned by former Senator Manny Villar.

Long-term solution

The bulk water system project was conceptualized in 1997. It was envisioned as a joint venture undertaking with a private company to supply the city with its daily needs of 50,000 cubic meters then.

To date, the daily demand of water has increased to 60,000 cubic meters but only 41,000 cubic meters of water is delivered by the utility to its customers.

During peak tourism season, an additional 4,000 cubic meters of water is needed daily, Royeca said.

Thus the bulk water system project in Baguio City is seen as a long-term solution to water shortage, especially with watersheds being encroached upon. The nearby towns of La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, Tublay,  all in Benguet  province, were anticipated as water sources for the project.

Apart from the depleting capacity of the city’s water sources being utilized by BWD, there is also sanitation and contamination issues in watersheds covered by ancestral claims, along with unabated human activities and informal settlement, Royeca mentioned.

Forest reservations serving as watersheds in the city such as Forbes Park, Amliang Springs, Busol, and Buyog sheds are subject to ancestral land claims, Royeca said.

Of the city’s 6 watersheds (John Hay, Sto Tomas, Busol, Buyog, Camp 8, Lucnab), John Jay and Lucnab have been rendered inoperable due to the influx of informal settlers. – Rappler.com