Sunday, October 05, 2008 Ramos: Sustainable water: Strategic approaches plus rain harvesting and other local actions By Fidel V. Ramos
(Last of Two Parts)
"THE World Wars of the 21st century will be fought over availability of water," former World Bank Vice President Ishmael Serageldin, declared ten years ago. Serageldin should know; he was then Chairman of the Global Water Partnership, the co-sponsor the World Water Forum (WWF) which promotes Government-private sector teamwork. The lack of safe water – more than international terrorism or nuclear proliferation – could foment unending violence among neighboring communities within arid or desertifying areas, such as in the Middle East, India and Pakistan. Already 25 percent of world population suffers from severe lack of safe water. Also, uncontrolled flooding in populated areas could put millions at risk and create unsanitary habitats conducive to endemic diseases on a massive scale.
That’s one strategic program of the Ramos Administration to insure long-term (good for at least one generation) safe water supply for our people. Other substantial breakthroughs:
(1) Angat (Bulacan) – Umiray (Aurora) Transbasin Project (started 1996, completed 2000) to expand water supply for Metro Manila, requiring tunneling 17 kilometers through the Sierra Madre mountains;
(2) San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam (started 1995, completed 2002) between Pangasinan and Benguet to harness the giant Agno River for irrigation, hydropower, quality water, and flood control; at 193 meters high, it is the largest water conservation structure in Southeast Asia;
(3) Pantabangan-Casecnan Transbasin Project (started 1997, completed 2001) to irrigate 50,000 hectares of rainfed ricelands and additional 100,000 hectares of partially-irrigated farms, provide new freshwater resources, and generate hydropower – made possible by tunneling 26 kilometers under the Sierra Madres across three provinces;
(4) Malmar and Kabulnan water supply and irrigation systems (started 1995, now operational) in Central Mindanao;
(5) Enhancement of the Laguna Lake-Pasig River-Manila Bay system to restore waterborne transport from Manila to Los Bańos, and upgrade water resources upstream in Laguna-Rizal; and,
6) Emplacement of indigenous people as forestry wardens to protect major watersheds.
The 2nd and 3rd world water forums
Held every three years, the WWF is like the "Water Olympics" where people from all over gather to address water problems. Until recently, professionals in water-related fields convened separately in their respective sectors. Thus, the WWF provides the venue for environment stakeholders to gather regularly, and tackle problems in a comprehensive and integrated manner.
Given our above-cited strategic initiatives, the Philippines has continued to be at the center of the international stage in water and global warming issues. At The Hague in March 2000, together with Crown Prince Willem Alexander as Host of 2nd World Water Forum and World Water Commission Chairman Mikhail Gorbachev, former USSR President, FVR addressed the most contentious issues which come from transboundary controversies about water. More than 200 large rivers flow across national boundaries, giving rise to generational conflicts on water rights.
FVR articulated: "We have a roadmap for addressing transboundary conflicts, but we need the institutions to apply practical solutions to the problems causing them. Sustainable solutions can come only from stakeholders. The cooperative and self-reliant efforts of local people could be the driving force for water, food, and human security."
The 3rd World Water Forum in March 2003 was chaired by the late former Japan Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and took place in various venues in Kyoto, Shiga and Osaka prefectures – which are served by the Biwa-ko-Yodogawa River network considered the inland water lifeline of the vast Kansai region. The moving locations of 3WWF sessions projected the strong message to participants that water problems would remain unsolved unless comprehensively handled as parts of one unified system.
Compendium of water actions
To his everlasting credit, the late Hashimoto did such a good job as 3WWF Chairman that he was appointed Chairman of the UN SecGen’s Advisory Board (UNSGAB) for Water and Sanitation, a position now occupied by Prince Willem Alexander.
As UNSGAB Chairman, Hashimoto in March 2006 promulgated "A Compendium of Actions" focusing on the Millennium Development Goal to halve the proportion of people without access to safe water and basic sanitation by 2015. Its key components:
(1) Water Operators Partnerships – Strengthening local services thru capacity building of public/private operators and NGOs
(2) Financing – Insuring operators are capable and financially viable; decentralizing to municipal levels
(3) Sanitation – Raising awareness on hygiene promotion, household sanitation, and sewage arrangements.
(4) Integrated Water Resources Management – Optimizing contributions of water in all forms to sustainable development.
(5) Mitigating Water-Related Disasters – Preventing, preparing for and mitigating them.
Manila Water privatization
The privatization of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, beginning in August 1997, has achieved: (a) expanded service delivery in terms of population coverage and water availability; (b) increased operational efficiency with dramatic reductions in "non-revenue" water; (c) reduced reliance on National Government to fund MWSS shortfalls/capital expenditures.
At the 8th APRSCP Jose Rene Barrientos, Manila Water Company Director, reported:
* 99 percent of 5.6 million customers are now provided water service compared to 26 percent of 3.1 million in 1997
* Non-revenue water reduced to 19 percent from 63 percent in 1997
* 2,566 kilometers of additional watermains and distribution lines built in 10 years with R24 billion capital expenditure
* Sewerage services improved by new septage treatment plants throughout Metro Manila.
Challenges and opportunities in waste management
At the same Roundtable, Dr. Surya Chandak of UNEP’s Environmental Technology Centre outlined win-win solutions to worrying solid-waste problems. The solution: Integrated Solid Waste Management which is "the strategic approach to sustainable solid waste management covering all aspects: Generation, segregation, transfer, sorting, treatment, recovery, and disposal in an integrated manner, with emphasis on maximizing efficiency."
His presentation convincingly reported:
(1) Wasteful lifestyles/consumption patterns cause increased waste generation.
(2) Industrialization produces unacceptable amounts of toxic wastes.
(3) Negative impacts of waste on the local environment have become more acute.
(4) Significant proportions of local budgets are spent on waste management, yet services are unsatisfactory; also, lack of capacity for adapting efficient technologies.
However, Dr. Chandak emphasized opportunities alongside challenges:
(1) Waste management should be treated as a business opportunity/potential for job creation.
(2) Earnings from recovered materials can ease budgetary requirements.
(3) Encourage new SMEs using recovered materials, thus creating jobs and livelihood.
Engineering interventions and practical solutions
As an archipelagic nation, the Philippines is in a unique position to strategize a really long-term masterplan embracing both creative engineering interventions and family actions at the community level. A case in point is what eminent Cebu-based journalist "Bobit" Avila wrote about recently – a water connection between Cebu and Bohol that would ride piggyback on the proposed highway between them across some small islets. This is the "Key West" cluster of coral reefs familiar to scuba-divers and fishermen. Leave it to the engineers, environmentalists and the Regional Development Council – not quarrelsome politicians – to bring the two provinces closer together!!!
At the residential/community level, rain harvesting is a cost-saving scheme in which millions of families can participate. Our family has been doing just that in my mother-in-law’s Tagaytay house – with measurable benefits in freshwater saved for gardening, cleaning, washing, fire safety and even drinking during dry summer months. Our simple process was to connect the gutters and downspouts from the roof to a large cistern built higher than ground level, and gravity took over from there. After 30 years, the system still works. The practice of rain harvesting is not new – it was done by my Lolo Ayo in Batac since 90 years ago.
There are now more effective residential/community arrangements in many places. Some months ago in Davao City, I had dinner with some friends and was shown their innovative approach to rain harvesting, starting with the architectural design of their home with a steep roof but no gutters neither downspouts. The rain from the roof fell directly into a commodious drain surrounding the house and, by gravity, the run-off water was collected in a nearby tank.
Value added: Neighbors’ cooperation
The value added to that Davao example was the cooperation of several neighboring families whose homes were similarly engineered and connected to a common pond. Simple – but effective! The most efficient large-scale rain harvesting arrangement I know of is in Hong Kong – from Victoria Peak down to Hong Kong Bay. It’s been there for over one hundred years – and still working. But, that’s another story. However, I say again: Just give the problems to the engineers!
Please send any comments to fvr@rpdev.org. Copies of articles are available at www.rpdev.org. Also revisit our 14 May 2006 Column: "Water – Most Important Commodity."
