The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Monday urged local government units in the National Capital Region (NCR) to adopt water crisis mitigation measures in response to the adverse effects of El Niño, which is expected to continue until May.
The Metro Manila Council (MMC) has approved several measures to reduce the impact of the phenomenon, including rainwater harvesting, reduction in water usage for golf courses and car washing, recycling of wastewater for plant watering and car washing, fixing leaks in water pipes, and development of water filtration systems.
The MMC, composed of the 17 mayors in NCR, is the governing board and the policymaking body of the MMDA.
MMDA Chairman Don Artes stated that the agency has developed basic designs for rainwater catchment systems, which will be distributed to all 17 Metro Manila LGUs to support their water mitigation measures.
“We will distribute these designs to the 17 Metro Manila LGUs in support of the water mitigation measures that they will come up with in their respective cities and municipality, depending on the needs in their areas,” he said.
Two of the MMDA-designed catchment systems have already been installed in a pocket park in Tripa de Gallina, where rainwater harvesting tanks were set up near the public toilet and a pocket garden/greenhouse, where the rainwater is used to water plants.
MMC head and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said the city government is planning to hold an inter-barangay water catchment system contest to raise awareness and educate citizens on how to reuse and recycle rainwater.
Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval also said their barangays will put up water catchment areas and will craft an ordinance adopting the resolution.
Artes assured the public that there will be no water rationing or interruptions for this month as sufficient water volume has been allotted to water concessionaires, according to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).
“We need to continuously and consistently save water so that in the coming months, during summer, we will still have a steady supply of it,” he said.
The Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council will meet with City Disaster Risk Reduction Management officers in Metro Manila to discuss specific El Niño mitigation measures for each city.
