Elamparo Adrian P.

October 16, 2013

2012150212 AR153/AR1

Cebus drinking water supply diminishing

By Joy Cherry Quito
Sunday, September 22nd, 2013

People take water supply for granted instead of treating it like a precious resource.
In Cebu, the problem is more pronounced where 80 percent of the supply is pumped out of the
ground, straining the aquifer.
This is a wake-up call, said architect Socorro Atega, executive director of the Uniting for
Sustainable Water (CUSW) at yesterdays second River Summit.
Drinking water is diminishing with the increasing demand from a growing population. We
should address this concern.
She urged academic institutions to use their expertise and knowledge to conduct research and
identify springs, rivers and communal water sources to help barangays. Then the water should
be checked for quality and quantity.
Environmental education is not just about water or river clean-ups, Atega said at the summit
held in the Cebu International Convention Center.

Cebu doesnt have big rivers and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) can only
accommodate 43 percent of the present demand for water by a growing population, she
pointed out.
We dont have big river systems or large watersheds where we can harvest rainfall. We extract
ground water for our water supply. With the growing demand for water, we need to harvest
every cubic meter we can gather from rain. We should be self-supportive, self-sustaining, Atega
added.
In terms of enforcement of environmental laws, we are weak. We should strengthen the
implementation of these laws, Atega said.
The summit was organized by the Cebu Academe Network (CAN) with partners in the Cebu City
Rivers Management Council and the SK Federation of Cebu City and Cebu Province.
CAN, led by coordinator Lesly Comiso-Magalso of St. Theresas College, aims to strengthen the
academes involvement and the role of youths in caring for the environment, specifically the
rivers. They envision a river system that is alive and life-giving.
Cebu City has five river systems Buhisan, Bulacao, Butuanon, Guadalupe and Lahug which
serve as channels and drainage systems of different barangays. Some like the Guadalupe
River, the biggest system, is considered biologically dead due to domestic and commercial
pollution.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources opened Cebu Water Conservation
Month last Sept. 20 with the theme Water Security for a Sustainable Cebu.

REFERENCE:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/492527/cebus-drinking-water-supply-
diminishing#ixzz2i1ujiGD7