Amid the ongoing water shortage in Metro Manila and in the upcoming months, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Sunday urged all city government departments, barangays and public schools to practice responsible water use.
She issued a memorandum to all city’s department heads and task forces, enjoining them to use water responsibly and to practice water conservation measures.
“Check individual households and offices for leaks and report such to the General Services Department, your barangay officials and/or water concessionaires,” the memorandum read.
“When storing water, make sure that water containers/drums are covered with lid/plastic to avoid breeding grounds for dengue carrying mosquitoes,” it added.
Belmonte told Ricardo Aureo of the General Services Department, together with the head of engineering department, to do an inventory of all schools and city-owned buildings for the possible installation of rainwater harvesting systems and water storage tanks and to install half or full flush in all toilets.
She said the GSD shall record baseline data on water consumption per office, building and villages, and come up with an incentive scheme for those who would be able to reduce their water consumption per month.
The mayor ordered the Barangay Community Relations Department to require the leaders of the city’s 142 villages to monitor leaks and illegal connections within their respective areas and encourage their residents to practice water conservation measures.
The Department of the Building Official is tasked to expedite processing of excavation permits for the emergency repair of leaks to be made by the water concessionaires.
The Task Force on Transport and Traffic Management must coordinate with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority for the possible lifting of the number-coding scheme for water tankers that would be used by the water concessionaires to ration water to customers.
Belmonte enjoined Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Co. Inc. to monitor leaks and illegal connections in their respective areas.
She also urged the 37-member city council to pass a resolution urging business owners to practice recycling, responsible water use and conservation initiatives and mandate rainwater harvesting for non-potable use.