DAVAO CITY-The provincial government of Surigao del Norte has enforced water rationing since September due to the severe drop in both rainfall and the common sources of household and potable water.
The provincial has been issuing regular advisories, tapping its social media accounts to guide residents when and where the next round of water distribution will be held. In its regular update, it would ask residents to ‘store water responsibly when supply is available; prioritize cooking and other essential household needs; avoid unnecessary water consumption; and to share this information with your family, neighbors, and community.’
It said the Surigao City government was coordinating with the Surigao Metropolitan Water District (SMWD) ‘to ensure that the available water supply is distributed as fairly and efficiently as possible during the current water shortage.’
In its situation update on Thursday, the city government said the Surigao City Public Information Office has implemented rolling water schedules where availability rotates across different barangays with limited supply durations. It said the SMWD has reported ‘significant drops’ in available water volume, ‘with deficits cutting deep into normal output.’
The city government also said that Surigao City Mayor Paul Dumlao and SMWD teamed up with Hiraya Water Corp. to implement interventions and alternative sources to ease the dry faucets. ‘Beyond current weather patterns, watershed health, illegal logging/mining pressures, and infrastructure strain have historically impacted the Parang-Parang Watershed and local surface water systems.’
The social media account Mindanao Weather Update posted in August that Dinagat Islands of Surigao del Norte was the first listed province in Mindanao to sustain the negative impact of the El Niño. At least 15 percent of the provincial population was at risk and emergency water assistance was being provided, it posted on its account on August 28. It said that in late August, 18,000 of residents have been affected by lack of water in Dinagat Islands, with around half of all river sources of water of the local water utility have dried up.
Early water rationing saw water tanks sent to communities, schools and hospitals identified as severely affected. Dinagat Islands is the island province east of Surigao del Norte and consist of seven islands and several islets.
Water rationing was also being reported in Butuan City, part of the Caraga Region where Surigao del Norte is also part of, and while Davao City has a more stable water resource, the Philippine Information Agency reported that its city government will tap 700 water catchments but these were mainly to provide water to the agriculture sector.
Davao City has formerly relied on its aquifers for several decades for its potable and other household uses but eventually put it on reserve shortly after the pandemic when it tapped the pristine waters of the Tamugan River running across its northern watershed region for its main water source.
The country’s weather agency said El Niño has intensified from a strong when it hit the country in the last quarter of this year to ‘very strong’ phenomenon going to last through mid-2027.