#MINDANAO
John Tria
A friend referred me to a useful online tool for farmers and non-farmers alike.
This is the online farmers’ guide prepared by the Philippine Department of Agriculture (http://farmersguidemap.da.gov.ph/).This website features various types of data on agriculture, from crop suitability maps to road networks and groundwater availability.
A vital information from this website is that the groundwater availability maps show that many areas have poor groundwater availability. This is a concern because groundwater is water that is most readily available for our use, and cheapest to tap. Being stored underground makes it less likely to be contaminated with surface contaminants such as natural debris consisting of decaying plants and even household refuse.
Generally speaking therefore, the cost to treat or prepare groundwater for human consumption, or to meet the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW) is lower compared to surface water such as those from rivers or lakes, which must go through several stages of treatment.
Having sufficient, affordable water is essential to life. Having less water means lower agricultural productivity especially during dry periods. This threatens local food supply, and will cause shortages and raise prices, leading to inflationary spikes. Moreover, in this age of health consciousness due to infectious diseases, sanitation provided by the availability of water is crucial to maintain the health of people in a given locality. Frequent handwashing requires clean water.
The need to ensure that clean ground and surface water is available is why Republic Act 9275 or the Clean Water Act was enacted in 2004. This law was groundbreaking since it views our water resources from a more holistic standpoint. It not only mandates protection of ground and surface water bodies such as rivers, seas and streams from pollution by regulating wastewater from establishments and homes, it does it through the stringent application of standards that can be set at the local level through a multisectoral water quality management area board that oversees the health of water bodies in a given area or basin. This ensures the continuous, sustainable use of the resource over time through programs that can even improve the quality of the water from the rivers, lakes and streams within its jurisdiction, increasing the volume of clean water to be made available to the local population.
With the farmers guide, you can find out which water basin you fall under, and you can check the DENR website to determine which water quality management area covers your area and ask about programs to strengthen water availability.
With the challenge of changing climate patterns, rainfall may not be as evenly distributed throughout the year. This affects the volume of groundwater since rain is needed for groundwater to be recharged.
Given the importance of water as a resource, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, along with the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) must lead in monitoring how much water is available for our use in each region. Regional Development Councils must take note of such availability estimates, as a lack of water hampers development efforts especially food production. It can endorse water development and management programs.
This will also guide water districts to plan for possible shortages by increasing reservoir capacity , for instance, to collect as much water when it is abundant to prepare for the dry months. As citizens, we can ask our water districts about these initiatives.
Sustainable development means a rational and orderly balance for a healthy environment that enables us to survive and thrive. Without abundant, and affordable water, this will be difficult.
Facebook.com/johntriapage
John Tria
A friend referred me to a useful online tool for farmers and non-farmers alike.
This is the online farmers’ guide prepared by the Philippine Department of Agriculture (http://farmersguidemap.da.gov.ph/).This website features various types of data on agriculture, from crop suitability maps to road networks and groundwater availability.
A vital information from this website is that the groundwater availability maps show that many areas have poor groundwater availability. This is a concern because groundwater is water that is most readily available for our use, and cheapest to tap. Being stored underground makes it less likely to be contaminated with surface contaminants such as natural debris consisting of decaying plants and even household refuse.
Generally speaking therefore, the cost to treat or prepare groundwater for human consumption, or to meet the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW) is lower compared to surface water such as those from rivers or lakes, which must go through several stages of treatment.
Having sufficient, affordable water is essential to life. Having less water means lower agricultural productivity especially during dry periods. This threatens local food supply, and will cause shortages and raise prices, leading to inflationary spikes. Moreover, in this age of health consciousness due to infectious diseases, sanitation provided by the availability of water is crucial to maintain the health of people in a given locality. Frequent handwashing requires clean water.
The need to ensure that clean ground and surface water is available is why Republic Act 9275 or the Clean Water Act was enacted in 2004. This law was groundbreaking since it views our water resources from a more holistic standpoint. It not only mandates protection of ground and surface water bodies such as rivers, seas and streams from pollution by regulating wastewater from establishments and homes, it does it through the stringent application of standards that can be set at the local level through a multisectoral water quality management area board that oversees the health of water bodies in a given area or basin. This ensures the continuous, sustainable use of the resource over time through programs that can even improve the quality of the water from the rivers, lakes and streams within its jurisdiction, increasing the volume of clean water to be made available to the local population.
With the farmers guide, you can find out which water basin you fall under, and you can check the DENR website to determine which water quality management area covers your area and ask about programs to strengthen water availability.
With the challenge of changing climate patterns, rainfall may not be as evenly distributed throughout the year. This affects the volume of groundwater since rain is needed for groundwater to be recharged.
Given the importance of water as a resource, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, along with the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) must lead in monitoring how much water is available for our use in each region. Regional Development Councils must take note of such availability estimates, as a lack of water hampers development efforts especially food production. It can endorse water development and management programs.
This will also guide water districts to plan for possible shortages by increasing reservoir capacity , for instance, to collect as much water when it is abundant to prepare for the dry months. As citizens, we can ask our water districts about these initiatives.
Sustainable development means a rational and orderly balance for a healthy environment that enables us to survive and thrive. Without abundant, and affordable water, this will be difficult.
Facebook.com/johntriapage