CALAMBA CITY (PIA) – Local water districts in Laguna have begun climate-proofing their water services and facilities from extreme weather events like storms, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Both Calamba and Laguna Water Districts have installed modern equipment and generator sets in their facilities to ensure unhampered water services during weather disturbances.
“We are ready, especially since we have experienced previously the effects of Taal volcano eruption that brought longer brownouts. We have already provided all our pumping stations with generator sets for this,” CWD General Manager Exequiel Aguilar Jr. said during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas organized by the Philippine Information Agency Calabarzon on November 26.
Aguilar said new generator sets are installed in all pumping stations throughout the city to ensure multiple water sources water aside from their central pumping station in Brgy. Bucal, Calamba City.
He expressed the fear that “The Big One” or the massive earthquake that is predicted to shake Metro Manila and nearby regions may divert water from the city’s main source, which prompted the CWD to look for other natural sources.
“We do not solely depend on our Bucal pumping station. We cannot say if the water coming from the Makiling Water Reserve may be redirected to other areas because of The Big One, so we are always prepared,” Aguilar added.
At least 75 deep wells and one spring that act as water sources for CWD can now produce 2,059,172.02 cubic meters of water every month, according to CWD data.
The CWD’s Bucal water reservoir can now store 3,200 cubic meters of water to ensure ample supply for their 75,044 residential and commercial or industrial customers.
For his part, LWD General Manager Jesus Miguel Bunyi said that water services in their coverage area was left unhampered at the height of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine that barreled huge parts of the region due to individual generator sets installed in their pump stations.
“Our services were not interrupted in all of our pumping stations, because we have already installed individual generator sets to assure that they will be able to continue to supply water. At the same time, we also stored standby fuels,” Bunyi said.
Mobile trucks and water tankers are also on standby to address weather-related water outages, the LWD chief added.
LWD supplies water in most areas of Los Baños and Bay, and some areas of Calauan, Victoria, and Nagcarlan.
The water districts have committed to strengthen disaster mitigation activities to ensure access to water especially during weather distubances. (CH/PIA-Laguna)
The Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas is a weekly media forum program of the Philippine Information Agency, in partnership with the Presidential Communications Office, highlighting the programs, projects, and policies of the national government under the Bagong Pilipinas governance agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration.
