Until the last drop

At around this time of the year, word will start going around about how water tables are beginning to go down.

Even as far away as the Netherlands, my brother-in-law mentioned an article about how the Philippines is compacting or sinking because so much water is being sucked from the underground aquifers.

In the Philippines, people in provinces already talk about how deep wells are putting out less water while creeks, stream and irrigation canals are beginning to run dry.

And just like past years and past droughts, Filipinos and their various governments, local and national, will wait until the last minute if not “until the last drop” to sound the alarm.

The lower the water tables go, the greater the alarm. Before you know it, “isolated” areas will be serviced by the water tankers of Manila Water, Maynilad or the local fire volunteer brigade. The annual parades of buckets and container jugs and waking up at 2 a.m. to fill drums begins!

But why is that? Why do they wait until things are really bad before acting? Perhaps it is because many government officials and the voters that matter live in cities, towns or urban centers that are prioritized when it comes to water supply.

They can’t relate to traffic jams and packed trains because they have government issued high end SUVs, complete with back up vehicles and motorcycle escorts blaring and blinking their way past everybody! For some, that’s not enough so they even try to use the bus lanes!

I recall from the past when decisions were made to prioritize and make sure that water from dams in the provinces kept Metro Manila reservoirs filled while irrigation canals got a trickle.

Like they used to say, if you want to live free from blackouts and water shortages, live in the district where Malacañang Palace is. Sadly, this is why there is never any sense of urgency for officials who are not inconvenienced or who never experience real lack of water.

During the time of Cory Aquino, Fidel Ramos, etc. Metro Manila experienced extreme power shortages and in desperation, every available solution was applied, even the costly and inefficient power barges just to keep the natives happy.

The country’s scientists and weather experts have already issued forecasts of an El Niño several months before summer but very few Filipinos realize or appreciate the science and consequence behind what the DOST and PAG-ASA are warning us about.

Even the acting secretary of the DENR Mitch Cuna has used the term “water bankruptcy” to put a name to what we might face in a month or so, if nothing is said and likely nothing done about it.

It is interesting to note that the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic resources has for several years established “fishing seasons” in different parts of the Philippine seas. To the credit of the BFAR, the bold action has resulted in increasing both fish population and fish catch.

So why does the whole of government wait until the last drop before establishing a nationwide program for the proper and preventive management of water resources nationwide? Is it because we have never really experienced what it’s like to ration water in Metro Manila?

If the DOST and PAGASA can actually predict weather patterns that impact water availability, surely they can guess or calculate when or what the average month is when water resources stop building up and start going dry.

The mere fact that we have a “dry season” and a “wet season” already tells us approximately what month things will dry up. Would it be too much for the national government to put together a national plan for water management months or years before we have El Niño or real droughts?

At the height of today’s summer, no one in government except for Secretary Cuna has even talked about water conservation. From the looks of it, we are once again pinning our hopes on Manila Water, Maynilad, San Miguel Water etc., to deal with the concern.

While the government, its media empire and members of Congress have successfully made Filipinos aware, informed or misinformed about Sara Duterte’s impeachment, Zaldy Co’s European travels and the ICC, nothing is said about how serious a water shortage we might face this summer or the summers after if we don’t invest in water management.

I used to ask what’s wrong with people relying on deep wells for their water? My mistake was associating “deep wells” used by families out in the provinces.

Apparently, the deep wells referred to by experts are the “commercial deep wells” used by malls, business districts, private villages, hotels and resorts, hospitals and universities and, most especially, the most controversial of them all, the golf and country clubs in and around or outside Metro Manila.

Years ago, people would suggest that the operators should increase the price of water so that just like electricity, people learned to conserve in order to save money.

But that is no longer the quick and easy solution. We need to establish an inter-agency “Water Management Authority” tasked to come up with immediate solutions similar to the BFAR “fishing ban” or restrictions.

Limiting or putting a ban on car wash shops sounds or looks tough but what they consume is nothing compared to what is consumed watering golf courses, parks, etc. Putting time limits, volume and replenishment programs are just some of the things to think about and work on before the last drop hits the ground!

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