The Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Puerto Princesa urged housing developer and hotel owners to install rainwater collector as a way of rainwater conservation and could be useful when there is scarcity of water in the city.
During a committee meeting of the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s committee on environment on June 4, 2020, presided by City Council Jimmy Carbonell, DENR CENRO Felizardo Cayatoc told the representative of Sta. Lucia Land Inc. to consider incorporating in the design, the installation rainwater collector.
Sta. Lucia Land Inc., one the country’s premier real estate developer opened Green Peak Heights Subdivision in Barangay Sta. Lourdes, strategically located in an elevated hill overlooking Honda Bay. They also have a housing project in Abanico, Barangay San Pedro.
Cayatoc urged other housing developer and hotel owners too, to consider incorporating rainwater collector since large volume of rainwater which can be used for domestic and other important uses if only harvested.
“Sana mayroon kayong rainwater collector para ma-harvest ang rain. Sa ngayon pag nag-uulan buhos eh. Napakasayang,” he said.
Collecting or harvesting rainwater has many advantages, considering that it reduces flooding and erosion. Aside from that, harvesting rainwater can help the environment in other ways, such as reduces demand on groundwater, improve plant growth, reduction of water bill, and rainwater can be utilize for domestic or agricultural uses.
Hotel owners can also do water treatment depending on their intended utilization of the harvested rainwater.
Cayatoc further said that this rainwater harvesting has been a practice in Cuyo, Palawan where there are cistern tank installed for the purpose.
“Hopefully ay may ganyan kayo na design para ma-catch yung rain,” he added.
Rainwater could provide safe and sufficient water. The effective use of rainwater remains largely untapped. Rainwater harvesting is not an entirely new technology. In fact, it has been existing for many centuries: it is the collection and storage of rainwater for multiple use. Overall, it can be used mainly for domestic (household) and agricultural (irrigation) purposes
Rainwater harvesting has been recognized by many as a sustainable alternative to other water supply options. It is economically viable, socially compatible and environment-friendly. In the light of climate change and increasing pressure on natural resources, rainwater harvesting can play a significant role in reducing scarcity of water resources nowadays.