BWD projects ongoing to up Baguio water supply, mitigate El Nino effects

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio Water District is now conducting water resource exploration projects to increase water supply and mitigate effects of prolonged El Nino or dry spell in the city.
    BWD officials said these included drilling  along Montinola Subdivision (Kisad Road), Ramsey in Bakakeng Central, South Drive 2, Richwood (Guisad Road) and Zig-Zag, Kennon Road.
    “Pipelaying and expansion activities programmed to augment the water supply in identified water-challenged areas, especially during the driest months include the Marcos Highway-Suello-Asin pipeline expansion, upsizing of Crystal Cave mainline, Pias-Camp 7 mainline extension, and the recently completed developments namely Bengao Road-Marcos Highway Tank upsizing of booster line and the Balacbac Road mainline upsizing project,” the district said.
    Mayor Benjamin Magalong lauded BWD’s efforts to put in place measures to mitigate effects of the prolonged El Nino phenomenon.
    “We are grateful that the district is fast-tracking its water augmentation programs to ensure continuous water supply ahead of the expected impact of the drought and dry spell which according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PhiVolcs) will peak in April 2024,” the mayor said.

The mayor recently inspected the ongoing repair of the rainwater harvesting basins at the Busol Watershed together with BWD officials and Dept. of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers.

During his visit to the watershed, the mayor requested the BWD and agencies in charge of safeguarding Busol and other watersheds to ensure that there are no intrusions by informal settlers into the remaining forested portion of the watershed to protect and preserve the city’s water table in view of the El Nino problem and the continuing threat of climate change.

In response to the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for agencies to carry out measures to cushion the effects of the El Nino, BWD General Manager Salvador Royeca said the district is currently streamlining its ongoing development projects and expressed confidence that they can complete the ongoing water supply development and expansion projects “in preparation for the full effects of the El Niño phenomenon.”

In a press statement, the district said GM Royeca “already called upon the concerned Technical Divisions of the water utility to revisit and submit their contingency plans for the El Niño and issued a marching order to expedite all various well-drilling and pipelaying projects to counter the effects of this dry spell.”

“Additionally, comprehensive monitoring of BWD’s groundwater and open water sources has already been performed to ensure equitable water distribution starting this Yuletide season up to next year’s dry season when visitors and tourists flock to this side of the country.”

Royeca said that completing these projects will help mitigate the effects of El Niño.

“Implementing these contingency procedures for BWD’s summer operations is done annually and typically normal, we just fine-tune everything so that it will be adaptive to the external pressures such as this projected El Niño phenomenon,” Royeca said.