Top firms form Water Alliance to address water-related issues

MANILA, Philippines - The biggest companies in the country launched  yesterday an alliance that aims to address issues and create solutions to the impending water disturbances in the Philippines.

The Water Alliance, which pools together top leaders of the leading corporations in the country, is envisioned to become the platform for companies to discuss issues on water security and access.

“We hope to be the voice of the industry in advocating for the necessary policies which will address the challenges in water that the country is facing,” Philippine Business for Environment (PBE) chairman and Water Alliance chief executive officer Edgar Chua said.

The alliance is composed of different corporations including Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Coca-Cola Phils., Coca-Cola FEMSA, Lafarge-Holcim, Dow Chemical Pacific Ltd., Hongkong Shanghai Banking Corp. (HSBC), Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), Energy Development Corp., Aboitiz Group of Companies, Maynilad Water Services Inc., Manila Water Co. Inc., Unilever Philippines, Mabuhay Vinyl Corp., Pepsi Philippines, Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Roxas Holdings, Nestle, Smart Communications and Splash Corp.

Through social investments and core business approaches, Water Alliance targets to support assessment and research on water stress areas and develop area-based solutions and provide safe drinking water to waterless communities.

Furthermore, the alliance aims to rehabilitate critical watersheds; adopt measures to lower water footprint and treat wastewater at a company and industry levels; and build capacity of water service providers.

“As the population grows, population need more water. Also as the economy develops, we will need more water,” Chua added.

He said forecasts showed that by 2025, 17 out of 441 river basins in the country will experience shortage, and these river basins are located in areas where growth is expected in terms of economic and population growth.

Establishing water capture, reuse, replenishment solutions and promoting investment on big water infrastructure projects are also part of the alliance’s goals.

“Each action item, there’s a company which will be responsible to lead that then there are timelines on when it could be delivered,” Chua explained.

Meanwhile, a study by McKinsey & Co. revealed global water demand is seen to exceed supply by over 40 percent by 2030. The Philippines itself withdraws more than double the average world withdrawal of water per person annually.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said only half of the Philippine population has access to a reliable Level 2 (communal source) water system while less than 30 percent has direct Level 3 (household source) service.