BAGUIO CITY, Jan. 21 (PNA) – The City of Baguio is anticipating water scarcity in the upcoming festival and the holidays due to the boom of population which happens every year.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan, in an interview on Wednesday, said, “There is a higher demand for water due to the rise of population in the city and there is a need to pinpoint other sources of water like the bulk water project.”
The city’s registered population as of May 2010 was 318,676, with an annual population growth of 2.36 percent. The figure excludes students who reside in the city for educational purposes.
The demand for water in the city also increased with water consumption rate already reaching a total of 8,614,038 cubic meters per day as recorded in 2012, with the highest consumptions registered to be from residential and commercial establishments.
The Baguio Water District (BWD) administers the water supply system and operates 60 deep wells with limited storage facilities.
To control water extraction, the local government unit (LGU) passed City Ordinance No. 13 s 2007 or the Water Code of Baguio requiring water permit applicants to secure clearances and requirements from the City Water Resources Board (CWRB) and BWD, before conducting ground drilling activities.
This would hinder unauthorized water extraction to prevent the depletion of underground water source of the city which makes up at least 75 percent of the city’s potable water supply.
Domogan said the BWD’s promise of a continuous water supply through the summer season remains to be seen. (PNA)