Pangasinan to regulate groundwater use

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan: To conserve and sustain an adequate water supply in Pangasinan province, Vice Gov. Mark Ronald Lambino proposed an ordinance to regulate the use of groundwater in the province.

“This proposal is actually in line with existing national laws and policies, particularly those coming from the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), which regulates the use of our water resources for commercial, industrial and private use,” Lambino said here on Monday, February 5.

In his proposed ordinance, Lambino said that indiscriminate drilling and excavation of wells, and the unregulated use and excessive extraction of groundwater, not only dry up scarce water sources but also destroy the environment, resulting in contamination by toxic or hazardous materials, seepage, and chemical residues.

He also said that indiscriminate drilling and excavation of wells may lead to land subsidence or a decline in land surface elevation, which can cause flooding, pipeline breakage, or even the collapse of buildings and other structures.

Subsidence takes place when water drawn from the aquifer is not immediately replaced.

Based on the updated master plan on water resources management conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and NWRB, about 60 percent of groundwater withdrawals in the Pangasinan river basin are from unregistered wells.

As a result, salt water intrusion is observed in deep wells, prompting concerned government agencies to conduct adequate underground surveys and checking of groundwater quality, especially in Pangasinan’s coastal towns and cities.

“The NWRB has also concluded in a 2011 study that the depletion of groundwater in the provinces of Bulacan, Pangasinan, and Nueva Ecija has been accelerated because of inadequate groundwater use regulation in those areas,” Lambino said.

“In particular, the excessive extraction of groundwater within the Pangasinan (or Agno) River basin is causing the deterioration of the quality of groundwater and lowering of groundwater level and land subsidence,” he added.

With the ordinance, Lambino said that the provincial government will ensure a sustainable potable water supply while preserving the environment and ecological balance by regulating and monitoring the use of groundwater within its territorial jurisdiction.

Under the ordinance, owners or operators of wells without NWRB permits and the requisite local government unit permits will be penalized.

The penalty includes a P5,000 fine or an imprisonment for three months.