RESIDENTS of Davao City's District 2 are enjoying an improved quality of life, thanks to the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP), a study by Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) reveals.
Dr. Cleofe A. Arib, director of AdDU's Center for Business Research and Extension, shared on December 6, 2024, that since the DCBWSP began operations, many residents have noted significant improvements in the water supply.
“The quality improved drastically going from dirty and sticky to clean and satisfying,” she said.
The clean water now available has made household chores easier, reduced cleaning costs, and boosted hygiene and overall quality of life. Small businesses also benefited, seeing fewer water filters needed, lower operational costs, and higher customer satisfaction.
Hospitals and luxury hotels no longer rely on external water sources for a steady supply.
“The Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project emerged as a beacon of change roving that strategic infrastructure investments can profoundly enhance daily life and economic resilience,” she said.
Since its launch on December 1, 2023, May Che Capili, external relations officer of Apo Agua, said the DCBWSP has supplied bulk water to areas including Calinan, Tugbok, Riverside, Dumoy, Cabantian, and Panacan.
Before its operation, District 2 residents struggled with poor water quality, often relying on water refilling stations for clearer, more reliable water.
Before the DCBWSP began operations, many residents of District 2 faced ongoing water supply issues from the Davao City Water District (DCWD). While the water was technically potable, respondents reported problems with its cloudy appearance and faint discoloration.
A carinderia owner shared that many customers complained about the bland taste and unpleasant smell of the water, prompting them to switch to an alternative source. As a result, the community turned to water refilling stations, opting for the clarity and reassurance of purchased water over what came from their taps.
Even everyday tasks like bathing became challenging, with some residents describing the water as leaving them feeling sticky and unclean, affecting the appearance of their hair.
Additional issues included orange stains and moss buildup in bathrooms, as well as difficulty washing dishes, as kitchenware like glasses and plates were stained by the murky water.
Small businesses also struggled with these water quality issues.
One laundry shop owner recalled needing three filters to purify water before using it, and some businesses faced high costs for trucked water.
A local hospital spent approximately P1.3 million monthly on water delivery, and a hotel in Lanang used 90 tons daily, costing P600,000.
“The persistent water interruptions have significantly impacted businesses disrupting operations and imposing substantial financial burdens these outages have led only straining to activities but also eroded customer trust affecting enterprises of all sizes,” she said.
The study, titled “Lived Experiences of Water Consumers in District 2 of Davao City Before and After the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project,” was conducted from July 15 to 30, 2024. It is a descriptive, qualitative research study involving 13 respondents, including households, water refilling stations, laundry shops, hotels, hospitals, and both government and non-government offices.
Meanwhile, JC Duhaylungsod, spokesperson for DCWD, shared that since the DCBWSP began operations, there has been an increase in water supply availability. She noted that the volume of supply has grown, resulting in higher water pressure when Dabawenyos turn on their faucets.
“Compared to the figures last year, last year it was at 73 percent out of the 250,000 service connections in Davao City but with the bulk water operations and of course the fine-tuning of the operational efficiency ni Water District, we have achieved 95 percent of our customers enjoying 24 hours of our water supply,” she said.
Duhaylungsod explained that the remaining five percent of areas require additional infrastructure, such as extra pipelines, due to the city's clustered layout. As a result, the water utility provider cannot improve the pipelines because of Road Right of Way (RROW) issues.
She also noted that, contrary to expectations, there has been no significant increase in water consumption, particularly in District 2. Some consumers have increased their usage, while others have decreased, and some have maintained the same level of consumption. Duhaylungsod clarified that an increase in water supply availability doesn’t necessarily lead to higher consumption.
Duhaylungsod added that they cannot attribute the increase in water consumption to the operation of the DCBWSP. She said that the increase is due to the rise in the number of service connections. Annually, the office receives around 7,000 applications for service connections, but in June 2024, they reached 11,000, more than double the usual increase in service connections.
“May increase in consumption but it's not necessarily because of the improvement of water supply availability possibly may factor but there is also a factor there is also an increase in the number of service connections,” she said. RGP
