Editorial: Rotational water supply, a warning

DESPITE the rainfall that is almost drowning the country, Metro Manila remains shackled in a crisis that is driving millions of residents crazy. The record-low level of Angat Dam has forced the Maynilad Water Services Inc. to cut supply at least until July 23.

Deforestation, booming population, and sheer disregard for the environment is spelling out something that environment experts have long been warning about such that doomsayers are saying that the future wars will be for water.

Yes, this may sound alarmist, as alarmist as pro-aerial spray supporters would want the likes of University of the Philippines professor and toxicologist Dr. Romeo Quijano and Department of Health's Dr. Allan Dionisio to sound because they are standing firm on their contention that poison sprayed in the air will poison people on the ground no matter how banana plantations will try claim that they are containing it. But, like the contentions of both doctors -- this is a fact.

Poison is poison and water is a resource that is finite and can only be replenished by nature.

The rotation water supply cut in Metro Manila should then be heard over here as a loud warning of how we should not abuse our remaining forests, our remaining water sources, and yes, how we should protect our stand-by water sources and ensure that nature replenishes what remains of our sources.

For so long, Matro Manila has relied on Angat Dam. For so long too, we have been relying on the Dumoy aquifers.

For so long, environmentalists have been warning that the deforestation of watersheds surrounding Metro Manila will slam back at the people. But then, that was over two decades ago. The people then, enjoying the fresh water spewing from their faucets just laughed all the warnings off. For how can you empty a giant dam, indeed?

In Davao City warnings have already been raced against the possible infusion of saltwater into Dumoy's water tables because demand for water is growing by leaps and bounds, way faster than the watersheds can replenish.

But, here we are, still turning our watersheds into monocrop plantations, poisoning our land, and extracting water by the millions of gallons from our aquifers, only to flush most them in our toilets or to wash our cars with.

And here we are insisting that power generation, even from a river than can just generate 5 megawatts is so important, we should believe the alarmist that is the Davao City Water District (DCWD).

Scary, isn't it?

We just hope that our mayor will stand pat on her resolve to put emphasis on preservation of water sources first before anything else, because we do not look forward to the day when all we can say is, "We told you so."

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