As El Niño threatens water supply, some areas turn to rainwater harvesting

MANILA — With El Niño expected to bring less rainfall to parts of the Philippines, local governments are finding ways to collect and store rainwater while it is still available, helping ensure water supplies during periods of drought.

In Quezon City, a portion of the Quezon Memorial Circle that was once covered in concrete has been transformed into a green space with grass and trees. Some sections of the ground have also been lowered to collect rainwater.

The depressions are part of a water retention and detention system designed to capture rainwater instead of allowing it to flow into drainage systems and go to waste.

The collected water passes through filtration systems before being stored in tanks. It can then be reused to flush toilets in the park and water plants.

Windsor Bueno, administrator of Quezon Memorial Circle, said the system would help reduce the park’s dependence on other water sources, particularly because the facility requires a steady supply of water for its daily operations.

The park also has a sprinkler system connected to the water storage facility, allowing the collected rainwater to be used for irrigation.

Green spaces and trees also play a role in managing rainwater. They help absorb water and allow it to seep into the ground, while excess water can be directed toward retention ponds.

Similar projects are being implemented in other parts of Quezon City, where some barangays have built water detention tanks beneath basketball courts. These facilities are designed to temporarily store rainwater, helping manage flooding while keeping water available for later use.

Outside Metro Manila, a rainwater park in San Fernando, Pampanga, can store thousands of cubic meters of water. The stored water can also be used to irrigate plants.

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon said similar facilities could be required in other parts of the country as the government develops building codes and regulations for new developments.

Dizon said developers should be required to incorporate detention facilities that can retain rainwater, both to help prevent flooding and to provide a source of water during dry periods.

But while collecting rainwater can help augment water supplies, experts and government officials also stress the need to use water wisely, particularly as El Niño intensifies.

The provincial government of Pampanga is preparing to limit groundwater extraction, or the pumping of water from underground sources, as part of efforts to manage available supplies.

The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) is also considering measures to reduce water consumption among businesses that use large volumes of water, including water parks, swimming pools and golf courses.

LWUA Administrator Jose Moses Salonga said the agency was looking at temporarily reducing water allocations or restricting supply to businesses with high water consumption.

These measures could include reducing their water allocation, temporarily closing certain facilities or shutting off water valves, depending on their consumption.

Although El Niño is already considered strong and could intensify further in the coming weeks, some parts of the country continue to experience brief rain showers.

These intermittent rains present an opportunity for communities and local governments to collect as much water as possible before drier conditions set in.

Rainwater harvesting, water detention facilities and the preservation of green spaces can help communities make better use of available rainfall. However, these measures must be complemented by efforts to manage groundwater extraction and reduce unnecessary water consumption.

With El Niño threatening water availability, the challenge is not only to find ways to store water, but also to ensure that whatever supply remains is used efficiently when rainfall becomes scarce or stops altogether.