BAGUIO CITY (PIA) - - With the onset of the dry season, along with the possible impact of El Niño, the Baguio Water District (BWD) is undertaking contingency measures to address the artificial water  shortage especially with the continuing influx of visitors  to the city.

BWD General Manager Salvador Royeca  announced in a Kapihan media forum here on  Wednesday (January 17) that they are doing actions to  address the  concern on the  drying  up of  water sources, and to  ensure continuing delivery of safe potable water to the people of Baguio.

And as  BWD works on balancing and smooth flow of water distribution to its concessionaires, the water company also calls for water conservation  to lower the water demand.

“Magtulungan tayo (Let us help each other),” Royeca said.

To augment the water supply in the southern portion of the city , Royeca reported that the  BWD is implementing the  Ramsey 2 and the Montinola Kisad  drilling projects that started in November last year,  and the Balacbac drilling project that commenced this January 11.  

He also shared that the BWD is  piloting a project on artificial recharge water source at the city’s watersheds.

The BWD  is also  encouraging the use of rain catchment facilities to homeowners and to commercial establishments.

As of December 31, 2023,  BWD operates a total of 63 deep wells, 77 pumping stations, four spring sources, and two rainwater catchment facilities serving a  total of 48,450 active connections.

Royeca assured that BWD’s water supply is  clean and safe. The water they distribute to consumers  is are verified free from any contaminant, especially coliform organisms

We are here to protect the welfare of our customers; it is our moral obligation to see to it that our water supply is potable”, Royeca stressed.

The BWD has a Water Safety Plan that  confers to the Philippine Standards for Drinking Water. The BWD water is potable from the distribution line up to the meter, beyond it – if there is contamination in the consumer waterlines and water tanks, it is now beyond their control, he  said. (JDP/ CCD-PIA CAR)