Rain, precious water

Late Thursday evening and early Friday morning, the strong rains came. Breaking the hot spell that continues each day, rains are most welcome especially when these fall during late evenings or early mornings. The rains lull the populace into more restful sleep. The rains give more color to the world, fresher, cooler breeze, a wonderful respite during these very hot or humid days.

The rains not only break the hot spell. These also break the dry spell that can translate to the crucial divide between bountiful or bad harvests, food or no food, and in the case of Luzon, water or shortage.

" Pray for rains," Pag-asa has been quoted to have advised those in Luzon. Yes, Luzon has to pray for rains that will not only break the dry spell in their areas. They have to pray for rains abundant enough to augment the critical water level of Angat Dam.

Without rains, and without enough water, power supply from the hydroelectric plant will be affected. Without rains and without increased water supply, Luzon can expect more brownouts. Aside from decreased and problematic water supply, Pag-asa added that the dry spell can lead to "red tide, warmer air temperature, bush fires and health problems." Water rationing will also not be a remote possibility should the dry spell continue.

What can be done if this dry spell continues?

Pag-asa recommended "optimum water allocation and use, cloud-seeding, repair of dikes, adoption of water-impounding projects or shallow tube wells and rehabilitation of deep wells, and water harvesting facilities." Pag-asa further proposed "water conservation, use of resistant crops with less water requirement, enhancement of irrigation efficiency, modified cropping calendar and reduction of leakages."

Senator Loren Legarda reiterated her call for total logging ban, linking the water and power shortage crisis to the destruction of trees. Massive tree planting can be one major step people, organizations and communities can resort to as early as now to ease the problem of water.

Educating people, young and old alike, about water conservation will also be a significant step for sustainable water supply. Those who are using air-conditioners can save the water that drips from the unit and use this water for cleaning and washing parts of their homes. Those who are brushing or washing their hands can learn not to let the water run while doing so and therefore minimize their water usage.

We reiterate our call for all of us to catch, to harvest the rain. While Luzon suffers from lack of rains, other parts of this country can expect more days of rain. While Luzon people are asked to pray for more rains, we in other parts of the Philippines should be praying that all will learn how to catch and use the rains as alternative, additional water supply.

There is so much to harvest from the heavens every time rains fall. We should learn how to store the rains and use these for our own needs or for sharing with others, with communities, especially those with water problems.

While politicians and government officials are either ignoring or looking at the problem of water and energy from the expensive infrastructural perspective, the public can start to take up the leadership in showing what is essential to be done and how simple and inexpensive the essential and genuine solutions are.

In the case of catching or harvesting the rains, for example, each one can just prepare pails, banga, tanks or whatever containers they have at home to jumpstart their practice of saving rainwater. Of course, all will also have to be reminded to have proper covers for their saved rainwater so that the health risks related to stored water will be avoided.

If you have suggestions for our kababayans about how to catch and use rainwater, we will be happy to share your views with all our readers.

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