Bicol utilities invest in environmental projects to ensure potable water supply

Due to its geological location, the Bicol region is vulnerable to acts of nature like volcano eruptions and drought. But lately, because of the galloping growth in regional population and commerce it is also becoming more and more vulnerable to irresponsible human acts like deforestation and pollution.

Recognizing these facts, some water districts in this region have started to invest in modest environmental protection and preservation projects, all invariably geared towards not just ensuring sustainability of natural water resources but more importantly their safety and fitness for present or future use.

Prime examples of these water utilities are the Metro Naga Water District (MNWD) and the Camarines Norte Water District (CNWD), operators of the water supply systems of Naga City and the provincial capital of Daet and six other adjacent towns in Camarines Norte, respectively.

The MNWD has since the early 90s been maintaining a watershed development project covering some 317 hectares of available watershed area in Mt. Isarog in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), Plan International-Bicol and the Rotary Club of Naga City.

According to MNWD public relations officer Manny Alcantara, implementation of the watershed development project was triggered by a series of extended droughts spawned by the El Nino phenomenon in the 90s that severely hit the Bicol region specifically, Metro Naga Water District's two main water supply sources in Mt. Isarog, the Anayan and Rumangrap springs. Before the droughts, water supply production from the two spring sources were already dwindling due to deforestation which was the handiwork of a few squatter families who converted vast tracts of land in the watershed for agriculture, Alcantara added.

Armed with a Memo of Agreement with the DENR in 1993 for the reforestation of the said portion of Mt. Isarog serving as the water district's watershed and provided with a P1 million seed money by LWUA for the project, MNWD went about restoring forest cover of the watershed while developing alternative relocation sites and livelihood to the affected squatter families. The water district also started to organize the affected household as co-protectors of the watershed known as the MIGs for Mt. Isarog Guardians.

Alcantara said the MNWD also concluded another MOA with Plan International and the Rotary Club of Naga City in 1994 for the rehabilitation and development of the 200 hectare portion of the watershed. Termed as the "Water for Naga Project", the joint undertaking carried substantial financing and provisions for community livelihood development for the settlers. It is during this period that the settlers were formally organized into the Anayan-Rumangrap Village Corps (ARVC).

The MNWD, said Alcantara, has since taken the cudgels for the continuance and maintenance of the project through its own Watershed Development Project Management Office (WDPMO) headed by engineer Vic Rubio, providing organizational direction and manpower to the overall development and protection of the 317-hectare watershed area in Mt. Isarog.

Meanwhile, apart from also maintaining a comparatively smaller watershed development and protection project of its own near its main water source, the Boro Boro Springs in the mountains of Labo, Camarines Norte, the CNWD has also recently launched a watershed education training program for local farmers.

CNWD public relations officer Antonia Ramores said the program was an offshoot of several documented cases showing that pesticides, notably those banned and highly toxic have polluted underground and surface water sources globally. One of the documented cases involve a dam being used in Baguio City.

Ramores said the spring sources and pumping stations of the CNWD , as in most other water districts, are located in agricultural lands where pesticides and other toxic substances are employed in farming, rendering the natural water supply sources susceptible to possible chemical contamination.

Through the program, Ramores said, CNWD endeavors to ensure that its water sources are free from pollutants caused by the use of banned and highly toxic pesticides by unknowing farmers. She said that the main aim of the program is to orient the farmers on the hazards of using the so-called Dirty Dozen, a listing of 12 toxic and banned pesticides which are usually dumped in Third World countries by unscrupulous traders.

Another major objective of the program that is being undertaken in coordination with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist and the Regional Crop Protection Center of the Department of Agriculture is to promote organic farming particularly among farmers tilling soil in areas near sources of water.

Ramores said the CNWD is confident that the program will duplicate the modest success achieved by the water district in its watershed development and protection project in the uplands near its main water source in Boro Boro Spring.
Significantly, both Alcantara and Ramores reported that since their respective water districts invested in environmental protection and preservation undertakings, notably watershed projects, they have not experienced the same problems that they have had in the past with the adequacy and quality of water supply.

The water districts involvement in environmental protection and development has also improved their corporate image and standing in their local communities. But those are but minor gratifications in their drive to make sure that the water they supply to their concessionaires is not only adequate but more importantly, safe to drink.