Jammed: Full into Capacity

An alarming news published in Philippine Daily Inquirer based on a research by Asian Development Bank should make us rethink of conserving water.

The Philippines’ water resources are fast deteriorating with rapid urbanization, with only about 33 percent of river systems still suitable as a supply source and up to 58 percent of groundwater now contaminated. Water availability in the Philippines could be “unsatisfactory” in eight of its 19 major river basins and in most major cities before 2025.

Urbanization has been pointed out as the major cause of this arising problem. Poor environmental management, extensive forest denudation, poor maintenance of sanitary landfills, crowding in urban areas, etc, are few of the effects of urbanization that have subsequently affected the availability of clean water in the Philippines, especially in large cities Cebu and Metro Manila.

The study also pointed out the following:

* 16 rivers are now considered biologically dead during dry months;

* 48 percent of water pollutants arise from domestic waste, 37 percent from agricultural waste, and 15 percent from industrial waste;

* Solid waste generation in Metro Manila, now estimated at 5,345 tons per day, is expected to double by 2010. But, only 65-75 percent of the waste generated is collected, with only 13 percent of that recycled, and the remainder just thrown anywhere, particularly into creeks, threatening health and increasing flooding;

* Some 700 industrial establishments in the Philippines generate about 273,000 tons of hazardous waste annually, but at present there is no integrated treatment facility in the country to deal with it, although there are some 95 small to medium-scale hazardous waste treatment facilities; and

* Approximately 50,000 tons of hazardous waste are stored on or off-site due to lack of proper treatment and landfill facilities.

The study also pointed the insufficient enforcement of existing legislation, and the weak legal and regulatory framework for environmental impact assessments, monitoring and coordination.

Photo source: Bhopal.net

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