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Enabling Policies/Ordinances of the Local Government the city, corresponding to 62.16% service area coverage,
Unit through their Water and Waste Management only 19,332 active and inactive households served from
Similar to the evaluation done in Cauayan City that we the total population of 73,980 households, wherein the
made previously [12], the researchers found several majority lies within the city proper and adjacent
aspects of the system that could be improved upon based barangays. Regarding the number of connections, there
on the international standard; based on the European are 14,801 existing or active households, with 4,531
Benchmarking Co-operation (EBC) on Water & classified as inactive or disconnected. The service facility
Wastewater Benchmark [13]). Specifically, the EBC has a combined water production capacity per month of
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assessed water services using indicators in five 404,967 m with an average daily production of 13,499 m .
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performance areas: water quality, reliability and service However, there were only 293,474 m metered and
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coverage, service quality, Sustainability, and finance & accounted/billed, while the remaining 111,493 m is
efficiency. Thus, the researchers compared the data unaccounted for, resulting in a total water loss of 3,716.43
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obtained from the current study against the standards set m per day. There was non-revenue water (losses) of 28%,
by the EBC [13]. Currently, there was ordinance relating higher than the 20% allowed losses set by the Local Water
to water services in Santiago City which are in effect: as Utility (LWA) and National Water Resource Board
such, Santiago City Ordinance No. 9THCC-154 is; An (NWRB) (Website). These unaccounted water losses
Ordinance Implementing the Sanitation Standard Rating could potentially supply an additional 4,075 households
and Food Handler Orientation for All Food and Drink when optimally used and/or regulated.
Establishments in the City of Santiago and Providing The water projection for the next 30 years would also
Penalties for Violation Thereof. In addition, however, skyrocket with an equivalent percent increase of 8.97%,
necessarily important ordinances in their own right, a 17.95%, and 28.20% for 2030, 2040, and 2050 (Table 2)
specific policy regarding establishing control systems and respectively, based on the present demand as of 2019. The
water service quality adapting the EBC benchmarking result analysis does not include the agricultural demands or
standards should be put forth. groundwater withdrawal for agricultural purposes and
Local government unit (LGU) policies on water individual domestic wells within the City of Santiago.
management could be supplemented to facilitate these In terms of Sustainability, population and water
improvements in Santiago City's water service. demand projections of Santiago City after 30 years show
Optimization of water distribution system design is one of that the current system may not be sufficient due to water
the critical fields, which has been extremely productive. Its losses; thus, improving water facility/service and another
primary focus is to minimize the cost of a proposed pipe water source for domestic use should be considered to
network infrastructure but is efficient. [14]. sustain consumer demand.
For the user’s satisfaction on water quality and water
SANWAD also provides policies and procedures [15],
to maintain quantity and quality of service even during services, more than half of the connected households
deemed the water supply to have an acceptable quality
adverse conditions, one of which is the continuous and (52%), taste (66%), odor (67%), color (65%) and pressure
enhanced water supply services in all areas of operation (56%). While only less than half of the surveyed
under threat COVID-19. Some policies were aligned with households connected to the utility service were
the National Water Resources Board. It combines and dissatisfied with the water's quality (48%), taste (34%),
organizes all water-related operations that have social, odor (33%), color (35%), and pressure (44%), a factor that
environmental, and economic impacts. It has three contributes to the result can be attributed to the location of
mandated functions as follows: 1. Policy formulation and the respondents that receives water supply.
coordination within the framework of Integrated Water
Resources Management (IWRM); 2. Water resource
regulation through the issuance of Water Permit (W.P.) and 5. Recommendations
Resolution of water use conflict; and 3. Regulation of
water service providers through the issuance of Certificate Based on the study's findings, it can be seen that the
of Public Convenience (CPC)/Certificate of Public Water Supply System of Santiago City, Philippines,
Convenience and Necessity and setting of water tariffs. requires further improvements for it to be sustainable and
The abovementioned policy of SWD should address the efficient in providing high-quality and reliable water to its
deficits of the existing water service system in Santiago citizens. To facilitate such improvements, policies must
City and devise measures to supplement these be set forth by the City's Local Government Unit thru
deficiencies. Santiago Water District that provides a platform for
improvement, all according to International Standards for
water systems.
4. Conclusions As such, the researchers suggest writing a City
Ordinance that adapts the European Benchmarking Co-
Santiago Water District served 23 or 37 barangays of operation (EBC) water benchmarking standards, with