Water Supply and Management System of Urban City: Santiago City Case

Abstract

Goal 6 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the United Nations 2030 Agenda and SDGs is a national call for Clean Water and Sanitation. For society's demographic, social, and economic development, reliable and outstanding water quality and long-term water supply services are deemed essential. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Santiago City's Local Water Utility (LWU) system in terms of water supply and wastewater management. The performance evaluation was based on the following domains – (a) sustainability of water supply; (b) consumers satisfaction; and (c) waste management practices; including compliance of the local government unit and service units by water security and management. The International Water Association's assessment framework and indicators were employed (IWA). The method used to collect information and/or data for this study, key informant interviews, and field surveys were conducted, with a total of 395 respondents drawn from 12 active barangays using stratified random sampling. The results showed that in terms of water sustainability for the next 30-year considering the future population and based on the present demand as of 2019, water demand will skyrocket with an equivalent percent increase of 8.97%, 17.95%, and 28.20% for 2030, 2040, and 2050 respectively. The result analysis does not include the agricultural demands or groundwater withdrawal for agricultural purposes and individual domestic wells within the City of Santiago. Overall acceptability on water quality was acceptable with a rating of 52% wherein 66%, 67%, 65% and 56% acceptability ratings were attributed to quality, taste, odor, color, and pressure, respectively. The Santiago water district has two water treatment facilities located within the city. For the water waste disposal, it is observed that there is direct disposal of waste to water bodies specifically to farms and drainage. The city of Santiago along with SANWAD has implemented ordinances and enabling laws on water/wastewater management for sustainable water resources utilization. Furthermore, on the issue of sustainability, it is highly recommended to develop alternative water resources that could increase water distribution efficiency, eliminate or lessen illegal tapping/ connection, increase coverage area, and maintain water quality valuation as a sustainable approach to sufficiently and dependably supply water demand for future generations.