Water demand in Baguio City grows

BAGUIO CITY (November 26, 2024) -- The utility Baguio Water District (BWD) is actively seeking additional sources and facilities in its bid overcome Baguio City’s growing demand for water.

BWD General Manager Engr. Salvador Royeca said Tuesday, the city’s demand for water supply went higher after the end of the pandemic and more economic and social activities bounced back.

“Something must to be done,” he said.

Baguio City’s average daily water demand is 50,000 liters, short of 5,000 liters from the

45,000 liters average water supply, said BWD information officer Mark Pasagoy. The demand even hikes up to 55,000 liters daily when peak comes starting December until May, he added.

BWD was able to avail of a Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) loan after the pandemic ended, Engr. Royeca said, thus, used for water and supply augmentation projects. The water district has also been laying new pipelines reaching out to more residences so that many people of Baguio can have more access to clean and potable water.

Royeca reported that the BWD had already laid 3, 842 meters of pipeline worth more than P45 million. He added they are also have proposed projects for upgrading and upsizing existing distribution lines to address the problem on water supply during summer season.

The BWD had also completed more than P62 million-worth of water exploration and well-drilling projects.

There are also ongoing projects nearing completion, Engr. Royeca said, explaining that they have to rush projects to completion in order not to be left behind by Baguio's continuously growing demand.