City reiterates water conservation as reservoirs dry up

The city government of Baguio reiterates its call for Baguio residents and tourists to conserve water as reservoirs are drying up due to the El Niño phenomenon.

City Administrator Bonifacio Dela Peña said he was informed by the Baguio Water District that reservoirs in the city are already drying up and the lack of rainfall may extend water scarcity for more months.

The city has been consistently calling for water conservation practices at home and in commercial establishments to reduce the volume of groundwater being pumped out on a daily basis.

It was also noticed that the water level at Burnham Lake has receded and some boaters were already paddling through the mud.

“Let us also be ready to close boating activities at the lake, if necessary,” Dela Peña told the City Environment and Parks management Office during the Management Committee Meeting of the department heads held Tuesday, March 26.

Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong likewise asked CEPMO to meet with golf course operators in the city on their water conservation efforts during the dry spell.

Earlier, the mayor advocated for lesser water use for household chores as a mitigating measure.

He added to make it a habit to reuse or recycle water used from laundry or from the kitchen in flushing toilets or watering plants.

“Let us help our aquifers in recharging by limiting the volume of water we pump out for our daily use,” the mayor said. 

Other water conservation measures include the basic turning off of faucets when not in use; repair leakage on water lines, among others. – JM Samidan