Save Water amid the Looming El Nino Dry Spell
The zero waste advocacy group EcoWaste Coalition is one with the government in pushing for conservation measures as water scarcity looms with the onset of the El Niño climate phenomenon.
The group added its voice to the appeal made by national and local government agencies for sensible water use with the advent of the El Niño, which is often marked with increased heat and drought in most parts of the country.
Through a follow-up bulletin, the DENR-WRMO expanded the coverage of its water conservation directive to include residents of Metro Manila and adjacent provinces, instructing barangay officials and condominium and subdivision managers to advise residents to reduce water consumption.
“As we remind duty-bearers to uphold the people’s right to water, we join the government in urging water consumers to conserve water in all ways possible as the whole country braces for the impacts of El Niño on the water supply, agriculture, economy and the lives of the poor,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition.
“The right to water,” according to the United Nations, “entitles everyone to have access to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible, and affordable water.”
To prevent and reduce wastage of water, a precious resource, the group released the following water conservation tips for the information of all water consumers:
1. Have all leaky pipes, tanks and faucets repaired to avoid water loss.
2. Collect rainwater; be sure to store it properly to keep dengue mosquitoes away.
3. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, washing your face or shaving.
4. Take shorter showers and refrain from changing towels every day.
6. Use grey water from bathing and washing to flush the toilet, clean the garage, and water the plants, and use a broomstick, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks.
8. Collect and use water dripping from air conditioners for washing mops and rugs, flushing the toilet or watering the plants.
9. Do not let the faucet run while washing rice, fruits, and vegetables, and reuse the “dirty” water for watering the plants.
10. Steam vegetables instead of boiling them to lessen use of water.
11. Thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator overnight, not on running water.
12. Select the proper size for pans and pots for cooking, and use fewer utensils and dishes to reduce water use.
13. Do not let the water run when washing the dishes, fill one basin with wash water and the other with rinse water, and reuse the leftover water.
15. Leave grass clippings on the lawn to keep the moisture, and spread a layer of mulch around plants and trees to retain water and lessen evaporation.
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