Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 28) — Metro Manila Council President Francis Zamora on Thursday said he will meet with his fellow mayors to discuss the possibility of regulating the use of water in the region amid the looming El Niño.
“Hindi naman necessarily iba-ban natin lahat ng water-related activities but we will regulate,” the San Juan City mayor said. “Titingnan natin ano ba mga activities na sa tingin natin talagang masasabi o matuturing natin nagsasayang ng tubig,”
[Translation: We will not necessarily ban water-related activities but we will regulate. We will see what activities we can say are really wasting water.]
If approved, the regulation will also cover business establishments that consume large amounts of water.
The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) suggested limiting water operations of resorts and golf courses, among other recreational activities, and carwashes to ease the water crisis.
Around 2,000 households can benefit from the water if carwashes’ consumption is restricted while 3,000 households will benefit should resorts’ operations be prohibited, MWSS Deputy Administrator Jose Dorado noted.
“Kapag drastic po ‘yung pagbagsak ng lebel ng Angat, that’s the time po na i-alarm natin ‘yung mga LGU (local government unit) natin na ipatupad na kung saka-sakali pong maglalabas sila ng ordinance sa paggamit po ng mga recreational facilities saka ‘yung carwash po,” he also explained.
[Translation: If Angat dam’s water level drastically drops, that’s the time we will alarm LGUs to implement their ordinances for recreational facilities and carwash.]
For Kenneth Reyes, a carwash caretaker in Mandaluyong, having an ordinance that will limit the operations of recreational activities with large water usage is fine as long as they will not be shut.
Zamora said the establishments that are big water users should be identified first.
The water of Angat Dam is currently at 195.81 meters, which is below its normal high water level of 212 meters. The dam supplies 98 percent of Metro Manila’s water demands.
