INFORMATION EDUCATION ON WATER: Water Allocation between Domestic and Irrigation I. Background The Philippines is richly endowed with water resources. If one is to add up the available supply of freshwater and compare it with the demand, supply will exceed the demand. However, this abundance in water resources in the countrystill leads to scarcity. Thus, the need to properly manage and optimize its purpose in the light of the changing trend in consumption and increase in use. Certain areas are already experiencing water scarcity. Due to temporal and geographic variations, water may not be available at the right time and place and seasonal water shortages may therefore occur. II. Water Supply and Demand There are a total of 6,560 water service providers, including Water Districts (861), LGU-run utilities (1,000), Regional Water Service Associations – BAWASAs (3, 100), Cooperatives (200) and Private Firms (900)catering to the supply of water. Agriculture accounts for 85% of the country’s water demand, with domestic and industry sector sharing the balance. It is estimated that the Philippines has an annual supply of 146 billion cubic meters (bcm) of water and a consumption of 40.9 bcm. This translates to a consumption ratio of 28% per year. The projected water demand is expected to increase yearly to a high of 5,619 million liters per day(mld) by 2015 in Metro Manila alone. Therefore, an alternative water source is very high in the list of priority projects of the government. III. Water Allocation between Domestic and Irrigation Angat Dam is a multi-purpose facility serving domestic water supply, power supply and irrigation. Due to increasing water use conflicts between water supply and irrigation, a new irrigation site and new sources of water must be developed. Also, presently, Angat Dam is the only source of water for the entire MWSS service area, which covers the entire Metro Manila and some nearby provinces such as, Rizal and Cavite. Angat Dam supplies 4,000 mld out of the projected demand of 4,605 mldin 2012. The deficit was forecasted to be covered by the Laguna lake water supply project which was set to provide a total of 400 mld by 2012. However, this still translates to a deficit of 205 mldin 2012. Water supply for domestic use Metro Manila In 1997, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS)awardedthe distribution of water throughout Metro Manila to two private concessionaires, effectively dividing water distribution in Metro Manila into two service coverage. The Metro Manila east service zone was awarded to Manila Water Company (Manila Water). The east service zone includes Taguig, Marikina, Pasig, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Pateros, parts of Quezon City, most of Makati, and Rizal Province. The Metro Manila west service zone was awarded toMaynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad). The west service zone includes Caloocan, Las Piñas, Malabon, Manila, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasay, Parañaque, Valenzuela, parts of Quezon City, and parts of Makati. It also includes Cavite City, and the municipalities of Rosario, Imus, Noveleta, Bacoor, and Kawit in Cavite. Provincial/Outside Metro Manila Outside of Metro Manila, LGUs account for more than half of the country’s total water supply. There are also some private utilities, cooperatives, and other independent providers in these provincial areas. Water districts are in-charge of the delivery of water service of their respective cities and municipalities under the supervision and oversight of the Local Water Utility Administration (LWUA). LWUA is mandated to develop local water districts and help promote the overall water supply projects in the provinces, cities and municipalities. LWUA was formed in 1973 through the Provincial Water Utilities Act (Presidential Decree No, 198), and is mandated to promote and oversee the development of water districts in the country by acting as a specialized lending institution with financial and technical competence on water supply projects. Water districts are local corporate entities that operate in cities or municipalities’ water supply system. LWUA’s service area is estimated at 60 percent of its potential market and has provided potable water to an estimated 16.2 million people. There are currently 861 water districts in the country, outside Metro Manila. Based on the available data from LWUA, the most active water district in terms of production is the Davao City water district with more than 7.6 million cubic meters in total production volume. It is apparent that large metropolitan areas in the Visayas and Mindanao regions have larger water districts in terms of production volume as they serve a larger population compared to other metropolitan areas in Luzon such a Dasmariñas City in Cavite and San Pablo City in Laguna. Other locations not covered by LWUA are handled by local barangay water and sanitation associations and cooperatives. Other Concessionaires Two examples of other water concessionaires include Subicwater and Calapan Ventures. Subicwater is a privately-run water utility servicing Olangapo City. In 2007, Subicwater delivered 60 MLD and built over 35,000water connections. The ownership structure of Subicwater is: • 70% private sector • 20% Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority • 10% Olangapo City Government CalapanVentures, on the other hand, is one of two water utility companies listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange (the other listed entity is Manila Water). Calapan Ventures currently own two water concessionaires, namely Calapan Waterworks Corporation operating in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, and Tabuk Water Corporation operating in Tabuk City, Kalinga province. Water supply for irrigation Farm irrigation has the highest total water consumption. While irrigation is the older appropriator of water from Angat Reservoir, priority is given to domestic/municipal use during such conditions pursuant to the Water Code of the Philippines (PD No. 1067). But, in 1988, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) granted conditional allocation of 15 cubic meters per second (15cms) to MWSS out of the unutilized allocation for irrigation of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) from Angat Reservoir. The AngatReservoir supplies water for domestic and municipal use in MM, irrigation of rice and other crop production for a31,500 hectares of farms in Central Luzon (20 municipalities in the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan), hydropower generation (Luzon Grid), and provides sufficient storage to control floods. Following the occurrence of El Niño in November 1997 to June 1998, the NIA-managed AngatMaasim River Irrigation System (AMRIS) reallocated its water rights for irrigation to sustain domestic/municipal water supply for the city. Water delivery for irrigation was likewise cut off for about four months in 2004. AMRIS has some 26,000 farmer-beneficiaries. NIA’s water rights account to 36 cms, while MWSS’s services for the city populace reach up to 22 cms. NIA agreed to give additional releases to MWSS only after satisfying its irrigation requirement and thus, part of NIA’s water rights were reallocated to MWSS. NIA claims that the reallocation should be accompanied by compensation package for the affected farmers due to losses in paddy productionand for NIA for irrigation services fee collection losses. This issue remains unresolved as MWSS maintained the reallocation was due to force majeure. Today, the farmers and NIA have not received any compensation. While the Water Code’s IRR does not provide clear guidelines for granting water rights, trading off and compensation of affected sectors of water reallocation, steps are currently undertaken to resolve this issue. NIA was advised to refer the case to another government office for resolution. MWSS has developed additional source of municipal water, and continues to explore other potential sources. IV. Proposed Projects for New Sources of Water Supply On the issue of reliability of a single water supply source in Angat Dam and because of its age (started operating since 1968) and the presence of the West Valley Fault in the vicinity of the dam, make the water supply source for MM and other parts of Luzon at great risk. A new water source therefore will help mitigate the scarcity of water supply and in case of major disasters and natural calamities. Potential Sources Source Potential Volume in million liters per day (mld) Kaliwa River 550 mld Laiban 1, 900 mld Kanan River 3, 270 mld Laguna Rivers 300 mld Wawa River 50 mld Laguna Lake 500 mld New irrigation site must also be developed. Potential Sources Source Potential Volume in cubic meters per second (cms) Apalit-Pampanga River 20 cms Pampanga River 20 cms Candaba 15 cms Balintingon 17 cms -------------------------------------------- Sources: “Water Allocation between Irrigation and Municipal Use”(Dominador D. Pascua), “Part V: Philippine Water Resources” (National Statistical Coordination Board), “Enhancing Access to and Provision of Water Services with the Active Participation of the Poor” (MDG Achievement Fund), “The Infrastructure Issue” (ManabatSanagustin& Co.), Public-Private Partnership Center, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 04:56:30 +0000