All national government agencies and instrumentalities (NGI) will now be required to reduce their water consumption by 10 percent in ahead of the El Niño threat under a new issuance from Malacañang.
Under his Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 22, Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin issued the guidelines for the implementation of water conservation measures for NGIs.
The issuance aims to avert a “looming water crisis” nationwide due to the expected impact of the El Niño phenomenon.
“All national government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations and state universities and colleges, are hereby directed to identify and implement specific, quantifiable and attainable water conservation measures that will result to 10 percent water volume reduction of their respective first quarter [January to March 2023] water consumption,” Bersamin said in his two-page circular.
He also encouraged government and private-controlled water service providers (WSP) to implement conservation measures such as, but limited to non-revenue water management and water pressure management.
MC 22 also instructed the Local Water Utilities Administration, National Water Resources Board, and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and private WSPs to regularly submit a monthly supply-demand projection highlighting the likelihood of possible water supply deficit.
The Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was tasked to implement MC 22.
“The WRMO shall identify strategies towards water conservation, monitor compliance of government agencies and instrumentalities with aforementioned water conservation measures, and provide quarterly updates to the Office of the President, through the Office of the Executive Secretary, on the progress thereof,” Bersamin said.
Last month, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said El Niño is will start in the third quarter of the year and might persist until the first quarter of 2024.
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