WATER SUPPLY AND
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
WATER SUPPLY IN THE PHILIPPINES
The Philippines’ water supply system dates back to 1946, after the
country declared independence. Government agencies, local
institutions, non-government organizations, and other corporations
are primarily in charge of the operation and administration of water
supply and sanitation in the country.
The Philippines’ main sources of water are rivers, lakes, river
basins, and groundwater reservoirs. The longest and largest
river, Cagayan River, discharges approximately 53,943 million cubic
meters of water annually. There are 438 major dams and 423 smaller
dams. Dams and reservoirs are mainly used for water storage, water
supply, irrigation, regulation of flood, and hydropower.
San Roque dam Pulangi dam
Ipo dam
WATER SUPPLY MAJOR USES
1. Agricultural use
Agricultural water management in the Philippines is primarily
focused on irrigation. The country has 3.126 million hectares of
irrigable land, 50% (1.567 million hectares) of which already has
irrigation facilities.
2. Industrial use
The uses of water for industrial purposes include
the "utilization of water in factories, industrial
plants and mines, and the use of water as an
ingredient of a finished product“. Water-intensive
industries are involved in the manufacturing of
food and dairy, pulp and chemical products, as
well as textile materials. These industries are
usually found in the National Capital
Region, Calabarzon, and Region III. In a 1999
study by the United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO), the
intensive use of water in the industry is critical in
terms of the production of hazardous wastes.
Thousands of tons of solvent wastes, heavy
metals, lubricants, and intractable wastes are
improperly disposed of annually in Metro Manila
3. Domestic use
used for indoor and outdoor household purposes— all the things
you do at home: drinking, preparing food, bathing, washing clothes
and dishes, brushing your teeth, watering the garden, and even
washing the dog.
WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
A water distribution system is a part of water supply
network with components that carry potable water from a centralized
treatment plant or wells to water consumers in order to adequately
deliver water to satisfy residential, commercial, industrial and fire
fighting requirements
Wastewater treatment plant
A facility in which a combination of various
processes (e.g., physical, chemical and biological)
are used to treat industrial wastewater and remove
pollutants
Water/Storage tank
A container for storing water. Water tanks are
used to provide storage of water for use in many
applications, drinking water, irrigation agriculture,
fire suppression, agricultural farming, both for plants
and livestock, chemical manufacturing, food
preparation as well as many other uses
Water main
An underground pipe that delivers water to the
customer's service pipe. In residential areas it
usually runs under the street.
WATER SERVICE PROVIDERS
1. Local Government Units
Most households in the Philippines are provided water by their
Local Government Units (LGUs), either directly through a city or
municipal engineering department or through community-based
organizations (CBOs)
2. Water Districts
A water district is a utility that is legally and financially separate
from the municipality. This system typically has better performance
and higher cost recovery than water systems that are run directly by
municipalities.
3. Large-scale Private Operators
In Metro Manila, water service has been carried out by two private
concessionaires since 1997: The Manila Water Company in the
East Zone, and Maynilad Water Services, Inc. in the West Zone.
4. Small-scale independent providers
A significant share of the population in urban areas receive
services from small-scale independent providers. It was estimated
that before privatization in the late 1990s, 30% of the population of
Metro Manila depended on them, majority buying water in bulk
from water providers to sell it on to individual users.
The end!
Always save water every-badi!
