The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority yesterday urged local government units of Metro Manila to adopt water crisis mitigation measures to address the adverse effects of El Niño which is expected to persist until May. 

The Metro Manila Council, in an approved resolution laid down several measures in a bid to lessen the effects of the phenomenon, including but not limited to rainwater harvesting/establishment of catchment areas, reduction in the use of water in the maintenance of golf courses and in car washing, recycling of wastewater or gray water for watering plants and car washing, fixing leaks in water pipes, and development of water filtration systems. 

MMDA acting chairman Atty. Don Artes said the agency has developed basic designs for a rainwater catchment system that will be distributed to the Metro Manila LGUs. 

“We will distribute these designs to the 17 Metro Manila LGUs in support of the water mitigation measures that they will come up with in their respective cities and municipality, depending on the needs in their areas,” he said. 

Two of the MMDA-designed catchment systems were already installed in a pocket park in Tripa de Gallina October last year where the rainwater harvesting tank was set up near the public toilet so the water can be reused for toilet flushing. The other tank, meanwhile, was installed in a pocket garden/greenhouse where the rainwater is used to water plants. 

In San Juan, Mayor Francis Zamora said the city government is set to conduct an inter-barangay water catchment system contest to raise awareness and educate their citizens on how to reuse and recycle rain water. 

Malabon Mayor Jeannie Sandoval, for her part, said that they will craft an ordinance adapting the resolution and will put up water catchment areas in their barangays. 

Artes also allayed public fears and said that according to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, there will be no water rationing and water interruptions for this month as sufficient water volume has been allotted to water concessionaires. 

The MMDA chairman though said assurance of enough water supply doesn’t mean wasting water resources. 

“We need to continuously and consistently save water so that in the coming months, during summer, we will still have a steady supply of it,” he said. 

The Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, responsible for carrying out the implementation of actions and measures about all aspects of disaster risk reduction and management in the NCR, is set to meet with City Disaster Risk Reduction Management officers in Metro Manila to further discuss the specific El Niño mitigation measures for each city.