START WORKING ON WATER YESTERDAY

Water extraction by bottling companies should now be limited. Water conservation should also be encouraged.

That’s right, we should have started on this yesterday, because today may already be too late. But, so far, it is unclear whether the government has actually been planning and implementing programs that can ensure sufficient supply of potable water for generations to come. Water and power supply should take priority over traffic, and perhaps even over illegal drugs.

It is fact that as soon on as taps run dry, we are in trouble. How far can we go without clean and safe drinking water? No bath and toilet water? No water for sewage? No water for farm irrigation and food production and industries? No water to run hydrothermal power plants? Well, we can always import water from abroad, right?

Weather impacts significantly on water supply, and this being the case, any disturbance like drought impacts on supply not only here but other countries in the region as well. In short, if we get into trouble, the others are most likely in trouble as well. So, importation, while it sounds far-fetched, may not exactly be an option. We need to secure our own supply, and quickly.

Singapore has been “importing” water from Malaysia for almost 60 years. It gets water from the Linggiu Reservoir, which is fed by the Johor River. Singapore first signed a water supply agreement with Malaysia in 1962, and then renewed this for another 50 years in 2012. Meantime, it is working to ensure self-sufficiency before the new deal lapses in 2062.

Singapore water demand is reportedly around 430 million gallons a day, with homes consuming 45%. By 2060, total water demand is seen to double. Under its water deal with Malaysia, Singapore can get up to 250 million gallons of water from the Johor River each day. In return, Johor is entitled to buy from Singapore as much as five million gallons of treated water daily.

If 2017 turns out to be another dry year, then Linggiu reportedly runs the risk of drying up. This will put both Singapore and Malaysia, particularly Johor, in dire straits with respect to residential and industrial water supply. Increasing demand coupled with diminishing supply will not only raise prices, it can actually result in shortages, which can lead to political unrest.

The Singapore government is watching closely the water level at Linggiu, which was said to have been “dangerously low” at the start of this year. Singapore’s Channel News Asia has reported that Linggiu’s level has dropped from 84 % at the start of 2015, to 49% at the start of 2016, and the lowest recorded level of 20% in October last year. It was at 27% last January.

To ensure water security, Singapore has improved on its “Four National Taps” to boost supply from (1) Local Catchment, (2) Imported Water, (3) highly purified reclaimed water known as NEWater, and (4) Desalinated Water.

In comparison, Metro Manila reportedly has a single source for potable water — the Angat reservoir system — which also reportedly sits on the West Valley Fault going through Bulacan. In case of a major earthquake in the area, or drought, then we lose out water. In fact, unless new supply comes on stream, shortage is already expected by 2020. Are we doing anything about this?

There is much to be learned from the way Singapore has been dealing with the possibility of water shortage. Since 2011, according to Singapore’s national water agency, the country’s “water catchment area has been increased from half to two-thirds of Singapore’s [entire] land surface with the completion of the Marina, Punggol and Serangoon Reservoir.”

The long-term goal is to increase the water catchment area “from two-thirds to 90% of Singapore’s land area.” And most of this, the agency said, will not necessarily be natural forests or watersheds but will be made up of “unprotected catchments which are land where development is allowed… for residential, commercial and nonpollutive industrial purposes.”

For those familiar with Singapore of yesteryears, where the Merlion Park faced the open sea, this open water area has since been enclosed by reclaimed land, thus creating the Marina Reservoir. A “Marine Barrage” has also been put in place to keep sea water out. And on this reclaimed land now stands the iconic Marina Bay Sands hotel and resort as well as a new business district.

Another initiative was “NEWater,” which is the production of “high-grade reclaimed water produced from treated used water that is further purified using advanced membrane technologies and ultraviolet disinfection, hence making it ultra-clean and safe to drink.” NEWater now supplies 40% of Singapore’s water needs. This is seen to increase to 55% by 2060.

Singapore has also been working on a “Deep Tunnel Sewerage System” or DTSS, which is a 48-kilometer “used water superhighway” to bring “used water” to water reclamation plants. Used water is either treated and purified into reclaimed water, or discharged into the sea as clean water. Phase 1 of the project is done, and Phase 2 will be completed in 2022.

And, Singapore currently has two desalination plants that produce 100 million gallons daily or

about 25% of current water demand. A third desalination plant will be completed this year, and a fourth by 2020. With all these plants, desalinated water can cover as much as 30% of water needs by 2060.

At the same time, Singapore has been conserving water. The national water agency noted that despite rising population and demand, per capita domestic water consumption actually dropped to 151 liters per day from 165 liters per day in 2003. The government is targeting to further cut this to 147 liters by 2020, and 140 liters by 2030.

The Philippine is not without options.

For one, water projects planning to source potable water from the Sierra Madre range should be expedited, but this should not be at the expense of the environment. Also, water extraction by bottling companies should now be limited. Water conservation should also be encouraged.

For longer term, we should consider partnering with Singapore to come by improved desalination technologies, as well as “NEWater” technology for used water treatment, purification and disinfection. We should also consider efforts to contain or catch more in urban planning and design, including developing a “highway” to pool “used water” for treatment, and not to just release them out to the bay.

And then, there are some practical considerations like digging deep and wide covered channels or canals or culverts alongside railroad tracks and tollways to serve as water basins. And then put fire hydrants along these canals at every 500-meter interval. This way, fire protection services will always have access to water.

There is also the possibility of amending the building code to allow for at least two water supply and sewage or sanitation lines in new construction projects, with one line making use of available technology to fight the corrosive effects of saltwater. This way, saltwater from the bay can be pumped in, treated if necessary, and used as toilet water for households and commercial establishments. Used kitchen and bath water should also be pooled and recycled. Even dry stand pipes should be ready for saltwater.

Clear Laguna De Bay and other lakes surrounding Metro Manila of commercial fish pens and other structures. And dredge, if necessary, lakes and existing dams supplying irrigation and drinking water as well as water for energy. At this point, most dams in the country are most likely silted and not as “deep” as they used to be. Dredging can improve their containment capacity. And consider new initiatives to truly “revive” the Pasig River.

It will take generations to fix things. But, we need to start somewhere. Singapore is showing us several ways of going about urban planning and resource management. We need not reinvent the wheel, so to speak. However, we do need to learn from others, to plan accordingly, and to act quickly.