New Freshwater Resources NOW!
August 28, 2019The recent water crises in the Manila Water concession area is a serious warning to government to move fast in developing new freshwater resources to meet the fast-growing demand of Mega Manila.
We should be reminded of the water crises of the 1990’s that forced millions of consumers to pay for expensive, unpotable water that had to delivered by truck and pumped into their homes not because of a supply problem but because of an old, leaky, infrastructure that had to be overhauled. A classic case of government failing to deliver a critical public utility.
The solution that proved effective was to privatize by bidding out the operation of the distribution system of MWSS. Thousands of kilometers of water pipes were upgraded to deliver and expand access to the whole concession areas at ideal the water pressure.
But the problem now is on the source of water. We need to have a solution before water rationing becomes a seasonal crisis in the metropolis. This is the real threat that government must focus on amid the floating of intrigues and nonsensical insinuations to re-nationalize the MWSS.
The need for Sewer Treatment Plants to filter out the effluents is indeed important but is just part of the solution to solve the water pollution in Manila Bay, which in itself should be treated as a separate crisis that has even more complexities such as the relocation of tens of thousands of informal settlers along the tributaries. To execute properly, this will need carefully planned strategies to manage the local permits, settle right of way cases, and minimize the traffic jams that deep excavations will surely create. Meanwhile, ensuring that consumers will have a reliable and clean water supply should be the priority.
The political philosophy of state control and regulation is a drawback; while mobilization through privatization and PPPs are forward-looking tools of good governance amidst urgent consumer demands.