BAGUIO CITY — Residents of Baguio City may face water shortages as the Baguio Water District (BWD) struggles to maintain distribution amid a significant decline in output from underground water sources.

BWD disclosed that the rated capacity of its water sources has dropped to 75 percent this year, from 82 percent during the same period in 2025, compromising distribution stability and forcing the district to implement continuous operational adjustments across multiple supply segments in the city.

BWD General Manager Salvador Royeca said the situation could have been much worse had the district not developed supplemental deep wells in recent years. The BWD has also implemented emergency measures, including diverting water from a newly established source in Liwanag, Loakan, to partially supply high-demand areas such as the QM and Legarda neighborhoods.

Royeca expressed hope that additional water sources would be completed next year, but warned that the current infrastructure remains under strain due to delayed seasonal rainfall that could be worsened by El Niño.

To strengthen oversight, the water district is seeking regulatory deputization from the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) to monitor and restrict unauthorized private groundwater extraction. BWD is also planning to restructure its watershed ditch rehabilitation program, a move aimed at improving aquifer recharge efficiency and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the region's water table.

City officials have pledged continued coordination with national agencies, but long-term stabilization depends heavily on the successful implementation of these regulatory and infrastructure reforms.

Meanwhile, the Baguio City Council approved the 218-meter Buyog Watershed bypass road despite strong opposition from environmental groups and several local officials. Critics argued that clearing 7.2 hectares of protected pine forest would cause soil erosion, attract informal settlers and permanently damage one of the city's critical water sources.

Community advocates stressed that protecting the fragile ecosystem is more important than building a new transit route.

The council approved the P23.9 million project with conditions that hold local officials responsible for preventing further encroachment into the remaining forest area.