Status of Water Use and Supply

I. Leading Consumers or Users of Water

 Agricultural – 85%
 Domestic – 7%
 Industrial – 8%

II. Access to Drinking Water

“2005 Little Green Data Bank” of the World Bank.
 1/5 Filipinos does not get water from normal source.
 77% Rural population, 90% of those in Rural have access to improved water source & only 44% have direct connections.
 Those w/o water connections access water from wells, spring, communal faucets, and small scale providers.

III. Major Problems Concerning Water Use

 Disparities of Water Supply & Demand – uneven distribution of water resources.
 Lack of Water Allocation Formula – lack of infrastructure & facilities result in allocation and conflicting rights over limited
supply.
 Weak Water Use Regulation & Enforcement – investigation & processing of water permit applications.
 Inefficient Water Use – tremendous waste water in distribution lines, irrigation canals and at home.
 Depletion of Groundwater Resources – indiscriminate use of groundwater wells for residential & industrial areas due to the
failure of major utility providers.
 Corporations Also Directly Compete with the People for the Control and Use of Available Freshwater Resources –
 Fragmented Management –

IV. Other Threats to Water Availability

 Pollution Expansion
 Urbanisation
 Pollution
 Vegetation Destruction and Deforestation
 Climate Change
 Surface Water and Groundwater Resources

Philippines – a tropical country in which rainfall ranges from 1000 to 4000 mm per year of which 1000 to 2000 mm are collected as runoff.

Sources of water supply

1. Rainfall
2. Surface water resources
3. Groundwater resources
Surface water resources
 18 major river basins
 421 principal river basins
 79 lakes
 Laguna lake – largest lake in the country
 Lake lanao – largest lake in mindanao
Groundwater resources
 Northeast Luzon
 Central Luzon
 Southeast Luzon
 Cavite – Batangas – Laguna Basin
 Mindoro Island
 Negrps Island
 Northeast Leyte
 Ormoc – kananga Basin
 Agusan – davao Basin
 Occidental Misamis Basin
 Lanao – Bukidnon – Misamis Basin

Quality of Water Resources – Philippines Clean Water Act of 2004 defines water quality as the characteristics of water that defines its use
and measured in terms of physical, chemical, biological, bacteriological, or radiological characteristics.
Water Quality Classifications
Class AA – waters intended as public water supply requiring only approved disinfection
Class A – water supply requiring conventional treatment
Class B – waters intended for primary contact recreation
Class C – water for fishery, recreation, and supply for manufacturing processes after treatment
Class D – waters intended for agriculture or irrigation

Water Quality Assessments

 Dissolved Oxygen
 Biochemical Oxygen Demand – measures the amount of oxygen consumed by microorganisms in decomposing organic matter in
stream water.
 Total Suspended Solids – measures the amount of undissolved solid particles in water such as level of siltation, decaying olant
and animal matter, domestic and industrial wastes.