Water flow at Panigan-Tamugan River still at 'normal level' amid El Niño

Source: MindaNews

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 02 April) - The water flow at the Panigan-Tamugan River remained at "normal level" amid the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, an official of private water contractor Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. said.

In a phone interview on Tuesday, May Che Capili, Apo Agua external relations officer, said the hourly monitoring of the company for March showed that the streamflow of the Panigan-Tamugan River averaged 600 million liters, which is within the normal range of 500 to 600 million liters.

She said that historically, the water flow will usually go down from April to October and will start to pick up from November to March, adding the company "is now doing a strict monitoring" of the water level due to the impact of climate change and the El Niño phenomenon.

Capili noted they are planning to put up additional water stations upstream to intensify the company's monitoring efforts.

She said they are working closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Davao City Water District (DCWD), and Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability to protect the watershed.

The Aboitiz-led company operates the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP), which supplies at least 70% of the city's water requirement sourced from the Panigan-Tamugan River.

The commencement of the DCBWSP's operation benefits DCWD's Calinan, Tugbok, Riverside, Dumoy, Cabantian, and Panacan water supply systems, with Apo Agua committing to deliver 300 million liters per day through its facility.

Last February 7, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated the water supply project here, where he encouraged government agencies to tap more surface water to address water supply problems in the country.

Marcos recognized that the water supply problem is no longer "a seasonal challenge but a perpetual threat brought about by climate change."

"It is for this reason that I continually stress the urgency of improving water security, and directed agencies concerned to expedite the completion of all water projects across the country," he said.

Marcos said that water scarcity, which is expected to worsen during the period of El Niño, would degrade the quality of life, dampen economic activities, and can fuel disorder. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)