Water interconnectedness and a fragmented response
Water interconnects many of our basic needs.
It is therefore a wonder—and somewhat of a tragedy—that there is a fragmented response to the emerging global water crisis.
We still do not have a comprehensive water roadmap for our country. Nor do we have a unified body that will implement such a roadmap.
In 1999, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) came up with a national water plan. It failed because it had inadequate government support.
In 2010, the National Economic Development Authority (Neda) formulated a water document.
Unfortunately, it focused mainly on a network to supply water to different sectors.
Last Sept. 14, NWRB Executive Director Sevillo David Jr. called for a water roadmap meeting.
However, there was only low level representation from too few government agencies and the private sector.
Recent events
During the Climate Change Week that ended last Nov. 26, I participated in two events. One was the Bamboo Conference. DENR Secretary Gina Lopez explained how DENR’S plan to plant bamboo in 1 million hectares would significantly address our current watershed problem of 5.7 million denuded hectares.
Today, only 20, 000 hectares are planted to bamboo, which can survive even with little maintenance.
This is a departure from the many failed reforestation programs, wherein the planted trees did not survive because of lack of maintenance.
A second event was the Climate Change Commission awarding of the top 10 LGU climate change programs by Secretary Manuel de Guzman. Sen. Loren Legarda explained how the awarded LGUs should be made models for water conservation and solid waste management, which greatly impacts water safety.
These two events are closely interconnected by water. But so are many other players in our country.
DENR is planting bamboo in 1 million hectares and restoring the 300,000 has. of mangrove forests we have lost.
These mangroves help us keep water in the forests as well as protect our coastal areas from storm surges.
DA is helping farmers address too little water during droughts, and too much water during floods. It does this with climate-resistant varieties.
It also promotes more efficient irrigation.
DepEd is educating our children on the importance and practice of using and preserving water.
Their new vegetable gardening program in the curriculum promotes eating vegetables and children are taught that vegetable production requires less water than meat production.
For the private sector, architects and engineers are now including water encatchment and disposal systems in the buildings, houses and infrastructure they design.
Industries have factories which use recycled water and water effluents adopting the newest technologies and practices that preserve and decontaminate water.
Action needed
However, given the impending water crisis, are there enough of these activities going on in each sector?
Even if there are enough programs, are the technologies and practices used the best available in the market?
And is the potential synergy from these interconnected sectors being harnessed?
These important and urgent questions must be addressed by a comprehensive roadmap.
In so doing, each sector should review and analyze the magnitude and effectiveness of its programs.
These sectors can then unite to take advantage of possible synergies.
But this will not happen automatically.
The government, with Senator Loren Legarda, Secretary Gina Lopez, and the Climate Change Commission, should lead in the roadmap formulation.
But no less than President Rodrigo Duterte should unite the approximately 30 water-related government agencies to help implement this roadmap.
There should likewise be a public-private sector body chaired by the President which will deliver a united response to the interconnected water challenge we face today.
