WB report underscores urgent need for water quality mgm’t

Water is life. Humans can survive for a day without food, but not without water. This is a basic knowledge, but why do adults develop an uncanny knack of forgetting its value?

In the World Bank-DENR publication, the Philippines Environment Monitor, the potent value of water supporting human life is highlighted as the dire status of our water quality is presented is descriptive and scientific detail. Launched last Feb. 4 in the midst of the scenic view of La Mesa Dam, the Environment Monitor, an annual publication of the World Bank, in close coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, tackles prevalent environmental issues comprehensively. For the year 2003, the Monitor focused on issues of water quality management – policies, sources of water pollution, urban sanitation, sewerage, infrastructure development and investments among others.

"Realizing the gamut of challenges in terms of comprehensive management of our water resources, the DENR is zeroing in on involving the public by making information available to them. Public disclosure about the dire status of our water bodies will hopefully also raise awareness about health impacts of poor water quality. Our coastal resources will similarly undergo such campaign through a beach eco-watch program to increase stakeholders participation," Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Elisea Gozun said during the launching.

Findings based on data at the Environmental Management Bureau-DENR indicate that sources of water pollution come primarily from domestic or household wastes. This implies a host of other issues such as the basic service of sanitation and sewage, especially for highly-urbanized areas. Sad to say, the annual average investment for sanitation and sewerage was found to comprise only three percent of the total investment on water supply. Other significant sources identified were agricultural runouts and industrial effluents.

The Environment Monitor reports that over 36 percent of the country’s river systems is classified as sources of public water supply and up to 58 percent of groundwater sampled is contaminated with coliform and needs treatment. Approximately 31 percent of illnesses monitored for a five-year period was also caused by water-borne sources, and many areas are experiencing a shortage of water supply during the dry season.

As part of the World Bank and EMB-DENR advocacy and education activities, contests in poster making and essay writing, jointly sponsored by the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resouces and the World Bank, will be held at the Youth Camp Marikina River Parks in Marikina City on Feb. 29.

Open to all high schoolers in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces, the On-the-Spot Poster Making Contest has adopted the theme: Save Water… Save Lives, while the On-the-Spot Essay Writing Contest, has youth, Take Charge: Save Water… Salve Lives, for its theme.

All secondary schools in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces are invited to send one representative per school for each contest. The deadline for pre-registration is Feb. 24,

For details, visit or call the Environmental Education and Information Division, Environmental Management Bureau-DENR, 2nd Floor, HRD bldg., DENR Compound, Visayas Ave., Diliman, Quezon City, telefax 920 22 51 to 52. Complete mechanics of the contest are available at the above office and may also be download from the DENR website: www.-denr.gov. ph and EMB website: www.emb.gov. ph