MANILA, Philippines – In light of the scheduled water interruptions across Metro Manila, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte will be implementing a sectoral approach for responsible water use instead of water augmentation.

Manila Water and Maynilad started rotational water service interruptions on Thursday, October 24, due to the declining water level of the Angat Dam. The lack of rain caused the dam to drop below its critical level.

In an interview with CNN Philippines provided by the Quezon City Public Information Office, Belmonte said that according to Manila Water and Maynilad, water augmentation will not be necessary as of yet.

“Doon sa mga nagtatanong kung magbibigay na tayo ng mga tubig sa iba’t ibang mga firetrucks, sabi ng mga water concessionaires at this point hindi pa kailangan, at kung kakailanganin ay they will work very closely with the local governments naman to provide for these things,” she said.

(To those who are asking if we will be giving out water through firetrucks and the like, the water concessionaires said it was not needed at this point, but if needed, they will work very closely with the local governments to provide for these things.)

What will the water concessionaires be doing in the meantime? Manila Water and Maynilad were mandated to submit monthly reports on leaks, illegal connections, and repairs, with data on the reduced consumption or conserved water through these efforts.

Tap water will also be conserved by using treated waste water for watering plants and maintaining parks. 

Belmonte also said that Maynilad and Manila Water will be conducting an information dissemination caravan in all barangays, in coordination with the city government, to tackle responsible water use and water conservation. 

How will the city government address the water interruptions? Apart from the barangay roadshows, the city government will also conserve water internally – water consumption should be significantly reduced and strictly monitored by the City General Services Department through their water bills.

The fire department, along with barangays equipped with water tankers, were also tapped to work with water concessionaires in water rationing efforts.

How should the water interruptions be addressed at the barangay level? Since the water concessionaires already gave out an advisory, she called on barangay captains to do their part in informing their residents about the water interruptions. 

“Sa lahat ng mga punong-barangay tingin ko responsibilidad natin na ipaalam sa atin pong mamamayan patungkol sa iba’t ibang mga oras kung saan mawawalan tayo ng tubig upang makapaghanda sila at makapagkolekta ng kakailanganin nila sa pangaraw-araw nilang gawain at hindi naman nagkulang sa atin ang Maynilad at ang Manila Water at maaga naman ibinibigay ang schedule sa atin,” she said.

(To all our barangay captains, I think it’s your responsibility to inform our constituents about the water interruption schedules so that they will be able to prepare and collect water for their daily activities, because Maynilad and Manila Water did not fall short in announcing the schedule early.)

She told barangay captains to remind their constituents to be responsible in their water usage and to relay the water interruption schedule through their social media pages, so they can be prepared.

How can households conserve water? Belmonte urged households to use water responsibly and undertake conservation measures. 

Apart from collecting water in containers and drums, households should also make sure that they are properly covered with lids or plastic.

They should also report illegal connections and leaks.

In addition, residents with swimming pools are also encouraged to cover them to reduce evaporation and limit water replacement, while ensuring the water is still sanitary.

How will business establishments go about the water interruptions? Industrial and commercial establishments should inform their customers to conserve water through posting signs in production areas, comfort rooms, kitchens, and all other areas where water is typically used.

Belmonte is also eyeing a resolution that will urge business establishments to practice water recycling, responsible water use, conservation measures, and use of grey water systems and technologies.

Grey water is collected from bathing and washing, and can be reused for cleaning cars, garages, and sidewalks, as well as for flushing toilets. (TIPS: How to conserve water)

Belmonte also considered mandating rainwater harvesting for potable use, as well as the installment half-flushes and full flushes for toilets.

Further, she wanted pressurized carwashes to be limited, and instead encouraged manual cleaning for cars. – Rappler.com