By CESAR JOLITO III
Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz II has renewed calls for collective action on water security, warning that local government units across the province could face serious water stress by 2030 if long-term solutions are not implemented immediately.
In a statement, Diaz cited repeated warnings from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regarding the province’s worsening water situation, emphasizing that the provincial government has been advocating for sustainable water management measures since 2021.
“Every day, we withdraw massive volumes of water, yet the natural process that restores these reserves simply cannot keep pace. Our aquifers and underground reservoirs are slowly being depleted because we are taking out more than what rainfall and natural seepage can put back,” Diaz said.
He stressed that without immediate intervention, natural groundwater recharge may no longer be enough to sustain the growing demand for potable water in Negros Occidental in the coming years.
“If we allow this to continue, our water sources will eventually run dry,” he warned.
Diaz said research conducted by the provincial government showed that the continued dependence on underground water sources — including shallow wells, deep wells and commercial extraction by water districts — is unsustainable.
The provincial official pointed to surface water development and environmental rehabilitation as key strategies to prevent a future water crisis.
“For years now, we have been doing our own studies and research specific to our province, and the findings are clear: If we continue with our current practices and do nothing to change how we use and source water, our local government units, communities and households will experience critical water shortages as early as 2030,” Diaz said.
“We can continue to ignore the warnings and protect only individual interests, or we can unite and act now before it is too late,” he added.
He said shifting water sourcing from underground reserves to rivers, while simultaneously strengthening watershed rehabilitation and forest protection efforts, could help restore natural water replenishment systems.
Diaz also underscored the importance of reforestation and the protection of critical watershed and recharge areas to secure future freshwater resources.
He urged the Negrenses to support the provincial government’s proposed bulk water project, describing it as a long-term and environmentally sustainable solution aimed at providing affordable potable water to more households across the province.
Diaz said addressing the looming water problem would require unity and cooperation among stakeholders, warning against complacency and fragmented responses to the issue.
The proposed bulk water initiative forms part of broader efforts by the provincial government to address water sustainability and climate resilience amid increasing concerns over resource depletion and population growth in Negros Occidental./CJ, WDJ