AS DAVAO City continues to attract more visitors, reliable water is becoming an essential part of delivering expected quality hospitality experiences, according to local hotel operators.
Davao City recently welcomed 2 million tourists in 2025 at its six hotel chains and 255 independent hotels, up from 1.8 million tourist arrivals in 2024. This increase further strengthens the city’s position as one of the country’s premier destinations. The City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) credited the growth to the city’s diverse tourism experiences and its efforts to create more opportunities for local small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
As traveler expectations continue to evolve, more visitors seek comfortable accommodations, quality amenities, and reliable facilities to enhance their overall stay and experience. Among these essential services that tourists look for is access to reliable water supply.
Why reliable water matters for Davao’s hotels
A luxury hotel in Lanang previously relied on an external supplier to meet its growing need for potable water.
“Our operations were really affected—rooms, kitchens, and public areas—and we had to get water from outside, around 90 cubic meters per day,” said the hotel’s Fire Life and Safety Manager. “It costs a lot—around PHP 600,000 monthly,” he added.
Today, that expense is no longer necessary.
Thanks to a more reliable water supply, the hotel can consistently meet the needs of its guests, operate more efficiently and focus on delivering a better customer experience.
Hotels are among the largest users of water in the tourism industry. According to the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (WSHA), a single hotel room can consume an average of 1,500 liters of potable water daily. This underscores the importance of a reliable water supply for hotels and the hospitality industry, helping ensure uninterrupted services and support guest comfort and well-being.
Davao bulk water empowers hotels with sustainable water
Through the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP), a joint venture between Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. (Apo Agua) and the Davao City Water District (DCWD), Apo Agua produces and treats bulk water sourced from the Tamugan River and delivers it to DCWD, which then distributes the water to households and businesses across Davao City.
This process provides Davao City’s hotels with a more reliable and uninterrupted water supply, helping them support their operations and better serve their guests.
“We no longer need to call the service provider every two days. We have around 700 cubic meters of water capacity in our hotel, so our demand is consistently met on a daily basis, and we no longer need to contact outside service providers,” said the hotel’s Fire Life and Safety Manager.
“Guests are happy. Operations are faster, and we consistently deliver our services because we now have enough water supply in our hotel.”
Because of the DCBWSP, Davao City’s water supply has become more stable, allowing the DCWD to provide a more reliable service to its customers.
As Davao City works to sustain its tourism growth through various initiatives, the DCBWSP will continue to play a vital role in advancing water security to support the city’s tourism and long-term development. PR
