PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—The Puerto Princesa City Water District (PPCWD) in Palawan has urged residents to conserve water in preparation for summer and the possibility of a long dry spell.
In a news briefing on Wednesday PPCWD Engineering Department chief Engr. Juan Arquero said surface and ground water sources that supply usable quantities of water to communities are now almost dry.
For instance, the Campo Uno surface water source in Barangay Irawan, which produces 400 cubic meters to 500 cubic meters per hour as of March 3, has cut its production to 200 cubic meters per hour.
To survive the summer, he said the PPCWD will have to turn to the “rationing of sources” to communities by the end of March or the first week of April.
“There will be a little problem with the supply, but we are confident that we can get through the summer by rationing sources,” Arquero said, adding three other water wells are currently being completed to provide additional volumes.
Meanwhile, Water District Manager Antonio Romasanta said the P800-million development of Montible and Lapu-Lapu rivers as water sources are still awaiting the endorsement of the Department of Justice (DOJ) that has jurisdiction over the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF).
Supposedly, the development of the two rivers will prepare the province for the long dry spell due to climate change. The rivers have the potential to supply water to the province 30 years.
“The processing of papers is ongoing with the DBP [Development Bank of the Philippines] for the loan, and this is standard. But that’s not a problem; our challenge is really getting the clearance and endorsement of the DOJ,” Romasanta said.
If the DOJ comes out with the endorsement and the clearance they need, he said, the development of the Montible and Lapu-Lapu rivers can proceed as the DBP is ready to give the green light to their loan as soon as possible.
He added that since the creation of the IPPF, it has no water supply. As part of developing the Montible and Lapu-Lapu rivers, they provided free water supply, including the offices that manage the penal farm.
“We hope that the DOJ replies soon so, that next year, there will be no more problems,” the PPCWD manager said.
The PPCWD has also required large shopping centers, malls, hotels, and other big consumers to set up cistern tanks at least the size of a two-story building, or four floors in height, to catch and store water.
“Just in case there is interruption in the delivery of our services, they will not have problems in water supply; they will always have reserves,” Arquero said.