Today is World Water Day which is celebrated every year since March 22, 2009. It’s aim is to focus on freshwater and its importance in our lives.

Water is our life. We use water not only for drinking and cooking but for everything cleaning and washing. I came from a province where there was no problem with fresh drinking water. We get our drinking water in a faucet built by the Americans before the war. This was this free flowing water faucet where we use to drink and also wash our clothes. There’ a lot of memories in that we called “Gripo”, faucet, it served like a meeting place some sort of today social networks . It nerved to be a meeting place to catch the latest gossip or just plain social hub. Pails, buckets, plastic gallons lined waiting to be filled up while the women were washing clothes in their “Batyas”, water tub.

But After 30 years the free flowing faucet became a water pump which means that water level is decreasing because of population boom. Most of the houses are installed with water district installations so people in my hometown rarely fetch water in that common faucet. But still many fetch their drinking water because they don’t trust the water coming out from the Local Water System. Others have their drinking water delivered by the water refilling Stations.

I lived in Metro Manila most of my adult life and thats where I experienced the real water crisis. We used a lot of plastic container to store water because the water only comes at night so we have to store for the next day’s use. We boil the water to be sure its safe for drinking. Bottled and refill stations were never heard of 20-25 years ago.

But it was worst when I moved to the South of Metro Manila, Paranaque. There was no water because it was not part of the NAWASA (National Water an Sewerage Company), the operator of the local water district. Even if you lived in plush Subdivision or village you have to have your own deep well and installed a big overhead tank which we had in my former house. But as the years went by the water that came of the faucet became yellow not drinkable and not even suitable for domestic use just for the garden and flushing the toilets. So we became dependent of the water delivery which was so expensive plus the drinking water. The cost of water bill almost eat up our budget. That’s terrible. It did not improved when the Maynilad got the right to supply water in that area it was still now you see now you don’t scheme.

For that experiences Filipinos became aware how to wash dishes using water tubs and taking baths using pails and “tabo” a water dipper. They dreams that someday water will come from their shower, they can flush their toilets, use automatic washing machine without putting water manually without using electric pumps or water booster.

According to a DENR (Department of environment and Natural Resources) study that 1,907 cu.meter of fresh water would be available to each person each year, making the Philippines the second lowest among Southeast Asian country with fresh water availability. They also said that the Philippines faces a severe water crisis in 2010 that will be a year from now. Read the rest of the story for inquirer.

The DENR should act fast and find ways how to combat this problem. Proper water management and policies should be given top priorities. But policies can not work alone without the citizens cooperation. All of us should be aware about the water crisis and do our part to conserve precious drops of water.

This is post on is my response to one event I joined at Bloggersunite.org

I joining Rolly Ocampo in posting more about water awareness after the event tomorrow.

Please take alook at these blogs:

1. Rolly Ocampo http://tagamonumento.blogspot.com/2009/03/world-water-day-2009.html

2. Zen Ventures blog about conserving water Asian Style

http://zenforyou.dalefg.net/2008/07/life-in-asia-part-ii-conserving-h2o.html

How about you do you have any story to tell or articles about water conservation or anything about water?