By
Aileen P. Refuerzo
BAGUIO CITY – Outgoing
Mayor Mauricio Domogan on May 14 directed the City Engineering Office to stop
the construction of deep wells that have no excavation permits in the city.
In Memorandum
No. 108 series of 2019 to City Engineer Edgar Victorio Olpindo, the mayor said
the Baguio Water District had raised concern over the proliferation of private
deep wells that causes the city’s groundwater supply to dwindle.
“Considering
the seriousness of the said concern because of its effect, you are hereby
directed to stop the construction of deep wells that have no excavation
permit,” the mayor noted.
Domogan’s
move intends to help the BWD address the growing problem on illegal deep wells
in the city over which the department admitted its powerlessness.
“BWD can only
do so much to protect its existing water sources and cannot impose sanction/s
on private deep well owners considering that pursuant to Presidential Decree
No. 1067 or the Water Code of the Philippines, control and regulation over the
utilization, exploitation, development, conservation and protection of water
resources are primarily vested upon the NWRB (National Water Resources Board,”
the BWD noted in a resolution adopted by the Board of Directors last April to
bring the problem to the attention of the NWRB.
Resolution
No. 13-2019 requested the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) to give the BWD
“direct involvement” in the approval of water permits particularly in the
investigation and studies process and in the monitoring and regulation of water
extraction of private deep wells in the city.
The Board
said that the at the moment, BWD can only file protests and opposition against
some applications for private deep wells as allowed under Presidential Decree
No. 198 or the Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973 and for deep wells that
operate without permits, the office merely reports them to the NWRB for its
appropriate action.
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