Rainwater harvesting technology inspires Ilocanos to conserve water

Forester Gregorio Santos Jr. explains the rainweater harvesting technology during the Ilocos Norte Water Summit. (Photo by Alaric Yanos)

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

Laoag City—As Ilocos Norte gears for global industrialization to solidify its vision in becoming the country’s best little province by 2020, local officials and residents here are now formulating ways to conserve water which is expected to be the next big problem if not properly managed as early as now.

Aside from the development of natural faucets as source of potable water to its growing population in the Metro Ilocos area, a simple old technology that seems to have been taken for granted in the past now proves its relevance in today’s limited supply that leads to water shortage due to unabated population increase, conversion of farmlands to commercial and residential uses including the construction of various large-scale infrastructure projects in forestland areas across the province.

Forester Gregorio Santos Jr., a senior science research specialist of the Ecosystem Research and Development Bureau under the umbrella of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Laguna told participants during the first Ilocos Norte Water Summit held at the Laoag City auditorium on Nov. 27 that the largest faucet to supply the need of this province’s increasing population and development can be tapped through rainwater harvesting.

Rainwater harvesting means capturing rainwater where it falls for production purposes.

Citing the earth’s water supply which comprises 97.5 percent of salt water and just 2.5 percent fresh water for human use, Mr. Santos said the importance of rainwater harvesting should not be taken for granted.

In a point of fact, he said there is a growing appreciation of this simple technology, which is now being practiced all over the Philippines particularly in upland and rural areas such as in Benguet, Ifugao, Pangasinan, Batanes, Zamboanga, and in indigenous communities which experience water shortage during the prolonged dry season.

As rain water can be stored for direct use or can be recharged into the ground water aquifer, Mr. Santos said there are various methods and designs where Ilocanos may consider should they opt to apply the said technology.

Among these methods for example include the use of house roofing as a catchment area with a storage tank and faucet for domestic use, construction of spring box with a distribution pipe to cater to small communities or the construction of water impounding dams to sustain farm productivity.

In Ilocos Norte, various farmers’ organizations in cooperation with their respective local government units are now constructing and nurturing existing small water impounding dams as catch basin for rain water to irrigate mostly rain-fed farmlands in the province.

“We can survive without food for three days but not without water because our body is composed of 70 percent water,” said Mr. Santos as he stressed it is now the call of all stakeholders in Ilocos Norte to ensure the management of their water resources given the alternatives and proven practices of wise water utilization.