ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD) has advised its concessionaires to conserve and store water as summer heats up.
ZCWD information officer, Edgar Baños, issued the advisory as the city has been experiencing less rain to replenish its water source, although the water level of ZCWD’s diversion weir is still at the normal level of 74.2 meters.
The ZCWD relies on surface water as its main source, particularly the Tumaga River, which in turn needs rain to be replenished.
Baños told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that ZCWD’s production plant is still operating at the normal level, producing 70 million liters per day (MLD).
“We are at a regular production mode, but we might not be so sure about what happens in the next couple of weeks. What I’m saying is, even as things are, we should start conserving water and use water more judiciously,” he said.
Baños, however, said water shortage, if it happens, would not be as bad as in previous years since ZCWD’s supply is currently being augmented by Prime Water, a private firm.
Prime Water produces 45 MLD and supplies the city’s west coast.
“If it (dry spell) happens, its effect would be minimal than what it was before. We would like to believe that the worse (situation) is over for ZCWD,” he said.
The ZCWD had previously implemented an eight-hour every-other-day water-rationing scheme, just to be able to provide water to all its 57,000 active water concessionaires. (PNA)
