Braganza warns of serious water crisis
ALAMINOS CITY–Mayor Hernani Braganza called for the planting of more trees and the search for a bigger source of potable water to prevent a serious water crisis here and in other parts of western Pangasinan in five to 10 years.
Noting that some wells of the Alaminos City Water District (ACWD) have now been affected by water intrusion, Braganza said some concrete measures need to be done now before water crisis gets worse.
Braganza aired his concern when he signed a memorandum of agreement with officials of ACWD that assured the construction of a 688 cubic meter capacity reinforced circular ground reservoir in barangay Bued here.
Among those who witnessed the signing were ACWD general manager Philip Pagador, board chairman and former mayor Leon Rivera Jr. and officials of barangays Bued, Lucap, Magsaysay and Sabangan.
Braganza blamed the present water problem in the city on over extraction of water resources in the past to irrigate some farms.
“Water is life. Thus, we then need to plant more trees in public lands and protect our watershed areas and water reserves,” he added.
Another solution according to Braganza is to preserve their existing water resource and tap other water sources as was the successful experience in other countries..
He also suggested the tapping of water from the Balincaguing River in Mabini town for household consumption and for irrigation. He said water from the river is abundant all year-round, not only for Alaminos but for the entire first district.
Balincaguing River is the biggest inland body of water and largest source of irrigation water in western Pangasinan.
To opt for that alternative, however, he said a huge amount is needed to build a dam and huge pipelines that convey water to the reservoirs of the ACWD.
“More people are now coming to Alaminos because of the new investments and industries related to new airport, hospital, colleges and hotels,” he pointed out. “This would not be realized without water”, he added.
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