BWD backs water moratorium

BAGUIO Water District (BWD) welcomed the moves of the city to implement a moratorium on water applications.

Mark Victor Pasagoy, BWD Information officer, said the water utility originally requested from the National Water Resources Board to be involved in the approval and issuance of water permit applications and at the same time, monitor and regulate the amount of water extraction of private deep wells within the city.

BWD wrote the letter

addressed to NWRB Executive Director Sevillo D. David Jr. May 8, 2019, copy furnished to former mayor Mauricio Domogan and then again a follow-up letter July 16 copy furnished to Mayor Benjamamin Magalong.

This week, plans to stop deep well applications and water permits for delivery services is being sought by the city led by Councilor Benny Bomogao who said legislation is set to be filed to ask for the temporary halt.

The city’s water distributor presently operates 57 deep wells which supplies the 61,727 cubic meters of water required daily by its 317,200 consumers.

The water district is able to produce over 77,000 cubic meters of water from its various sources during the rainy season and as low as 42,500 cubic meters during the summer months.

Pasagoy added upon assumption into office of the new administration, Magalong, was invited to join the BWD board meeting to give him a clear picture of the situation of the water supply.

Bomogao said an audience with the NWRB is needed because there is so many requests for water permits by hotels and water delivery services which he fears might deplete the resources of the city.

“If the city council pushes for the moratorium, BWD will support it. It actually will lessen the competition for the available water supply and the BWD also looks forward that our request from NWRB will be favorably granted,” Pasagoy said.

BWD reported underground water sources have recovered from the amount of rainfall the city has been experiencing.