EDITORIAL - A dwindling resource

Who would have thought drinking water would eat up a big chunk of household budgets? Not too long ago, fresh water could be obtained in abundance from numerous sources in this archipelago. Now many households even in Metro Manila pay a fortune for fresh water, and there is no guarantee that water flowing from their taps is safe to drink.

A recent report said tests conducted by environmental group Greenpeace on water supply in Metro Manila and Bulacan, where many manufacturing plants are located, showed a steady deterioration in water quality. Greenpeace reported that water samples taken from taps and rivers in the two areas showed “volatile organic chemicals and high levels of metals.” Equally worrisome was the assessment of the group that even bottled water in Metro Manila had high levels of zinc.

The problem is bound to get worse as pollution destroys the country’s fresh water sources. The environment department has reported that 50 of the country’s 421 rivers could be considered “biologically dead” because of pollution. The contamination has led to water-borne diseases like cholera and even ordinary diarrhea, which remains one of the leading causes of infant mortality in this country.

 People can survive for days without food, but not without water. Providing the public with this most basic of needs should be a priority for any society. Effective water management gains more urgency as fresh water supply is depleted by climate change, pollution and the demands of a booming population. Privatizing water distribution was supposed to bring dramatic improvements in the service, but so far it has been a big disappointment, at least in the western sector of Metro Manila. Greedy independent operators have taken advantage of the situation, charging exorbitant rates for insufficient water supply.

 Policy-makers are unconcerned — as long as the water supply in their households is adequate. Unless decisive action is taken soon, however, the problem will eventually reach the faucets of those who could have made a difference.