Water strategy offers boost for building communities’ resilience

Experts are promoting implementation of water demand management (WDM) to help build Philippine communities’ resilience to climate change and the drought-driving El Niño phenomenon, both of which threaten water supply nationwide.

They noted that since WDM highlights water use reduction to address the gap between increasing demand for and availability of water, this strategy is vital in achieving water security which is among resilience-building essentials.

Communities must build resilience so these can deal with climate change’s impacts and El Niño-induced water woes, they said.

“It can’t be business as usual,” said former environment chief Elisea Gozun who leads the Climate Resiliency Team of USAID’s Be Secure project that promotes water security for resilient growth and stability.

At USAID-spearheaded briefing Tuesday (Oct. 20) in Metro Manila, Gozun emphasized urgency for WDM action and pointed out that international studies show the Philippines is among countries most at risk for the changing climate’s impacts.

Such impacts are increasing onslaught of extreme weather events as well as sea level and temperature rise, she noted.

“The majority of the country’s vulnerable are the poor,” she also said.

El Niño data from state weather agency Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also highlighted need for WDM action.

Such data show the strong El Niño at present will likely further intensify later this year and last until mid-2016.

“Dry conditions will affect most parts of the country until around April next year,” PAGASA senior weather specialist Anthony Lucero said at the briefing.

He noted rainfall shortage was among manifestations of El Niño.

Rainfall shortage already affected water supply in Angat Dam, Metro Manila’s main water source.

Alliance for Water Efficiency President and chief executive Mary Ann Dickinson cited the need for effective and sustained information and education efforts promoting WDM so people can better understand and appreciate need to implement this water-saving strategy.

“Water conservation and WDM can save communities,” she said at the briefing.

She noted implementing WDM in the US showed this strategy is costeffective, environment-friendly and promotes climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Among good WDM elements she presented at the briefing were reduced water leakage, correct water pricing to encourage water conservation among consumers, auditing and retrofitting high water-using houses and businesses, examining industrial recycling opportunities as well as reducing waste in landscape watering.

Jordan’s former water and irrigation chief Maysoon Zoubi agrees raising public knowledge and awareness about water issues and WDM is essential in addressing these concerns and bringing forth efficient water use.

She noted Jordanians already consider waste water a renewable resource and utilize this for cleaning and other purposes.

“In some areas, we use water three times,” she said at the briefing.

University of Technology Institute for Sustainable Futures Director Dr Stuart White noted aside from communication, regulation and incentives, data generation is essential in promoting water security.

“Attention must be paid to what’s driving water demand,” he noted at the briefing.

He added there must be coordination on investment and policies for water, sanitation, storm water, agriculture, energy and nutrients.

USAID’s Be Secure project aims increasing sustainable access to water supply and waste water treatment services in the country.

The project also targets increasing resilience to climate-related water stress and hydrological extremes.

Basilan, Iloilo, Leyte, Maguindanao, Misamis Oriental and Zamboanga are Be Secure’s project sites. (PNA)