DENR bans use of piped water for golf courses

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has prohibited golf courses in Metro Manila and nearby areas from using piped water from Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water amid the continued drop in the water level of Angat Dam.

In an interview with select reporters including The STAR, Environment Undersecretary Carlos David said that the latest DENR bulletin, which was released last Friday, directed the operators of golf courses to ensure the use of recycled water instead of sourcing it directly from the metered pipes from the two water concessionaires.

“There is a bulletin that they cannot use pipe water in golf courses,” David added.

Based on data from the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), at least 10 golf courses operate in Metro Manila.

These golf courses consume between 700 cubic meters and 1,400 cubic meters of water per month, according to the NWRB.

“As far as I know, almost all golf courses in Metro Manila do not use MWSS water for golf courses. It is too expensive so they use recycled water. Just the same, there is this bulletin,” David said.

He added that aside from golf courses, the new directive covers clubhouses and swimming pools.

“Clubhouses and (operators) of swimming pools, etc. are also tasked to conserve water,” David said.

He added that the DENR Water Management Office has also issued a bulletin prohibiting the use of garden hoses in cleaning cars and watering the plants and inflatable pools.

“The use of garden hose, inflatable pools are now prohibited but there are no penal provisions but still a rule. We are hoping that the Department of the Interior and Local Government will help us by directing all local officials, barangay officials to implement the bulletins,” David said.

At the same time, the DENR official asked residents to decrease their time in taking a bath even by at least one minute, saying every Filipino can conserve at least six liters of water by doing so.

“If you take a bath for 10 minutes, consciously, you do it faster and one minute is more than enough because if we all do that, that’s a lot of water,” he said.

He added that there is still no plan to limit the operation of car washes.

“If you will observe, the car washes are also operating laundry shops as the water from the laundry place is being recycled, They have interventions. They use power hoses, which use less water than when we clean our cars with a garden hose. At present, no businesses were prohibited,” David said.

At least 1,000 car washes are operating in Metro Manila.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, the water level in Angat Dam had dropped by 0.39 meters after it reached 186.10 meters compared to its previous level of 186.49 meters.

It was 25.90 meters less compared to its normal high water level of 212 meters.

It is 6.10 meters above its minimum operating level of 180 meters.

Angat Dam supplies more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water needs and provides for the irrigation needs of 25,000 hectares of farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.

At least 1.5 million households previously experienced water interruptions of 14 to 16 hours amid the low water level in Angat Dam.