Bill requires dev’t projects to collect rainwater

MANILA — A bill requiring housing projects to collect and reuse rainwater passed the committee level at the House of Representatives over the weekend, in what lawmakers believe would help address the flooding problem in the country’s urban areas.

The House committee on Metro Manila Development has endorsed the passage of a law that requires the construction of rainwater harvesting facilities for every institutional, commercial and residential development project.

“If this is implemented properly and supervised well, I believe the rainwater harvest facility will serve as a good mitigating factor not only against flooding during the rainy season and source of water during the summer season,” said Manila 1st Dist. Rep. Manuel Luis Lopez, who heads the committee.

The House panel approved consolidated version of three separate bills, which pushed for the establishment of a “rainwater harvesting facility” (RHF) for various types of newly-constructed projects.

The measures are authored by Lopez, Quezon City lawmakers Rep. Kit Belmonte (6th Dist.) and Rep. Allan Reyes (3rd Dist), and Manila Rep. Yul Servo Nieto (3rd Dist.).

“Our subject bills aim to help Metro Manila in water supply and flood control,” Lopez said in a statement.

Aside from its ability to mitigate flooding, Lopez said rainwater harvesting is also “environmentally friendly,” as it allows the use of runoff water for other purposes.

Collected rainwater may be used for “non-potable and suitable” purposes such as watering plants and cooling the air.

Under the proposed measure, owners or developers of new “institutional, commercial and residential development projects” in Metro Manila will be required to “reserve, develop and maintain” an RHF, with an area equal to at least 3 percent of the project area.

No building permit shall be issued to a project with minimum total area of 1,500 sq. meters that is without an RHF.

For real estate projects that are undergoing construction, developers will be given 30 years from the effectivity of the law to provide for its RHF.

A fine ranging from P500,000 to P2 million will be imposed against owners and developers for non-compliance to the provisions of the proposed RHF law. /au