Thanks to a combination of growing urbanization, climate change, and outdated infrastructure, major Philippine cities are soon to face increasingly common water shortages in the coming years. Metro Manila, in particular, has already faced serious shortages during recent dry seasons.
Though things seem grim, urban areas in the Philippines could meet these challenges, drawing inspiration from water management successes and developments at home and overseas. With the right solutions in place, the water infrastructure Philippines cities will have in the years to come will become more efficient and sustainable.
Implementing the ideas below in locally appropriate ways may prove key to better water security in the Philippines.
1.) Reevaluate Current Water Infrastructure
Water distribution systems can be extremely expensive to put in place. What’s more, it’s difficult for local governments to justify the construction of infrastructure meant to address the needs of generations that will be around long after the current one is gone.
As a result, it’s not unusual for many otherwise modern cities to have inadequate and dilapidated water distribution systems that are decades or even centuries old. Additionally, these systems are often reliant on sources that may have been feasible at the time of construction but are inadequate for present-day needs. This is particularly true with systems that tap groundwater or other sources that replenish slowly.
Water infrastructure development should always be built with deliberate and multigenerational intent. One example of how things may move forward is the Apo Agua Infrastructura project, a water management project that currently supplies the Metro Davao area.
Previously, Metro Davao had been relying on an aquifer that was tapped decades before the area experienced massive economic growth. Consequently, the old primary source was overexploited and frequent water shortages became imminent.
The Apo Agua Infrastructura project tapped a nearby river—a much more sustainable water source—and incorporated state-of-the-art water treatment technology to make the river water safe for human consumption. As a result, the Metro Davao area is likely to enjoy water security for the foreseeable future.
2.) Leverage Smart Technologies
Reducing water waste is one obvious strategy for combating the coming worldwide water crisis. However, this is difficult to do in practice as much water waste in cities comes from a variety of human causes.
For instance, water wasted in homes and businesses is often the direct result of neglect. While education and incentives can do much to help prevent these losses, other sources of water waste are more difficult to address because of the need for direct human intervention.
System losses from leaky pipes and other bits of water infrastructure are a regular occurrence due to simple wear and tear. However, in most systems, human intervention is still required for maintenance and leak detection. Because systems can be enormous and embedded in all kinds of infrastructure, leaks often remain undetected for months, if not years.
Using sensors, AI, and other smart tech may provide part of the answer. These technologies are already being implemented in some cities. Singapore’s water system already uses the mentioned technologies to help with its previously tenuous water security.
The ability to detect leaks and automatically reconfigure systems when needed allows system managers to effectively prevent major losses without the need for direct human intervention. Some forms of the technology and accompanying concepts may even be used in individual buildings, complexes, and even households to further reduce water waste.
3.) Install Greywater Recycling Infrastructure
Greywater is usually defined as wastewater that does not include toilet waste, which is also called “blackwater.” While it contains some pathogens, greywater is mostly safe and has the potential to be directly used for other applications such as toilet flushing and some plant irrigation.
Because greywater makes up a large proportion of wastewater in cities, installing the appropriate infrastructure to reuse it offers massive potential in reducing the need for clean water. It also opens up the possibility of using different types of water treatment facilities that would be unfeasible if both greywater and blackwater were disposed of the same way.
4.) Compel Large Buildings and Complexes to Conserve Water
All industries and activities need water. In most major cities, commercial and industrial water use tends to be higher than household consumption. City governments can pass laws or use powers already available to them to ensure the biggest consumers of water implement water-saving technologies and meet certain water usage standards.
Making things somewhat easier is the fact that cities have the power to grant permits for building construction and renovation, as well as to deny legal use of structures that have failed permit renewal processes. While politically contentious, city governments do have the right to deny building and business permits to parties that do not meet water-saving standards.
Required water-saving technology could take the form of the systems we previously mentioned, as well as more classic water-saving implements such as waterless urinals, timed faucets, and water-saving toilets. Tax breaks and other incentives could also be used to make these changes more acceptable to local businesses.
Can Philippine Cities Maintain Water Security?
Though Philippine cities face several serious threats to their water security, there are some promising solutions for addressing them. As with many other things involving urban environments, a combination of locally appropriate technologies and future-forward policymaking can be key to solving these problems.