Agusan del Sur town endures water crisis as rains not coming

SUPPLY FOR THE DAY A water truck from San Francisco Water District rations supply for residents in a community situated on higher grounds of San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, where the utility’s services are no longer available 24/7 since September. —Photo courtesy of SFWD

SAN FRANCISCO, AGUSAN DEL SUR, Philippines — While much of the country is battling floods brought on by heavy rains, this town is facing a severe water shortage due to insufficient rains.

Since September, the lack of rainfall has left hundreds of households struggling with limited water supply.

Elmer Luzon, general manager of the San Francisco Water District (SFWD), reported that data from their rain gauges indicated a sharp decline in rainfall, impacting the 1,658-hectare Mt. Magdiwata watershed.

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The watershed’s springs are the primary source of potable water for nearly 10,000 service connections, covering both residences and commercial establishments.

Luzon attributed the water crisis to decreasing rainfall over the past five months, noting that September recorded a mere 6 millimeters of rain, down from an average of 12 mm in early May.

In his report at the “Stakeholders’ Forum on Water Resources” held on Monday, Luzon said the reduced rainfall had caused a decline in the output of three major springs.

As a result, many households, particularly those in elevated communities in the town center, are experiencing a near-constant lack of water flow from their faucets.

Taps in around 300 homes in elevated areas of Barangay Pisaan, particularly in Sitio Damilag, have run dry over the past two months, prompting the SFWD to deliver daily water rations by tanker.

Insufficient

According to Luzon, the water sources at Tinggangawan Dam, Manag-as Dam and Lapag Dam maintained normal levels in January, but supply began to dwindle during the peak of the dry 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 of Poblacion, remains high.

This marks the first time that residents have experienced water rationing, despite the Magdiwata watershed—located 3 kilometers away and surrounding the entire Poblacion area—achieving a 97-percent forest cover.

This improved forest density, a result of SFWD’s program since 1997, restored what was once a largely denuded area, with only 54 percent forest cover.

To address the dwindling supply, SFWD is securing a P25-million bank loan to tap additional water springs in the villages of Bitan-agan and Lucac. This project is expected to be completed early next year.