SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 05 November) — While parts of the country recently battled floods brought by heavy rains, this progressive town is facing a different crisis: a severe water shortage.
Since September, the lack of rainfall has left hundreds of households struggling with limited water supply.
Elmer Luzon, San Francisco Water District (SFWD) general manager, reported that data from their rain gauges indicate a sharp decline in rainfall, impacting the 1,652-hectare Mt. Magdiwata Watershed.
The watershed’s springs serve as the primary source of potable water for nearly 10,000 service connections, covering both residential and commercial establishments.
Luzon attributed the water crisis to decreasing rainfall over the past five months, noting that September recorded a mere six millimeters of rain, down from an average of 12 millimeters in early May.
In his report at the Stakeholders’ Forum on Water Resources held on Monday, Luzon explained that the reduced rainfall has caused a decline in the output of three key water springs.
As a result, many households, particularly those on higher grounds within the town center, are experiencing a near-constant lack of water flow from their faucets.
The faucets of around 300 homes in elevated areas of Barangay Pisaan, particularly in Sitio Damilag, have been running dry over the past two months, prompting the SFWD to deliver daily water rations using a tanker.
According to Luzon, the water sources at the Tinggangawan, Manag-as, and Lapag dams maintained normal levels in January, but supply began to decline during the peak of the summer season in May, when rainfall became scarce.
“The current water supply is low, decreasing, and insufficient to meet the growing demand from service connections,” Luzon noted.
He added that water usage, especially in the commercial service area in the poblacion, remains high.
This marks the first time that residents have experienced water rationing, despite the Magdiwata watershed — located three kilometers away and surrounding the entire poblacion area — achieving a 97% forest cover.
The dense reforestation, a result of SFWD’s program since 1997, restored what was once a largely denuded area, then with only 54% forest cover.
To address the dwindling water supply, SFWD is securing a P25 million bank loan to tap additional water springs in barangays Bitan-agan and Lucac. This project is expected to be completed early next year. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)
