Why Water Education?
The Philippine Situation
There is an estimated 125,800 million cubic meters annual supply of surface runoff. This means there is an average of 1,710 million cubic meters per person annually at the current population level.
Taking account surface runoff and ground infiltration, water availability in the country is estimated at 431 million cubic meters, while demand is placed at only 77 million cubic meters per day. Hence, the Filipinos' demand for water is far below the total capacity.
Water sources in the Philippines, however, are on the critical list due to over-logging, pollution and upland farming. These problems have affected the country's 421 rivers, 59 lakes, and watersheds that make up about 70 percent of the Philippines' total land area. While the Philippines is naturally assured of enough water, it is in fact in the middle of a worsening water crisis. The water crisis, owing to the mentioned factors, traces its root cause to poor management.
Unsafe Water Sources
According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), not one of the country's 158 major rivers is safe for drinking in its natural flowing state. Fifty of the total 421 rivers in the country are already considered biologically dead, while the country's 58 lakes have not been monitored on a regular basis.
Water Quality Degradation
The continuing water quality degradation is attributed to various polluting practices such as direct waste dumping
by domestic and industrial sources, sedimentation by
logging-induced soil erosion, siltation by mining, and ecologically-disturbing agricultural practices such as the use of chemical fertilizers that contaminate water run-offs.
Inadequate Water Services
Freshwater resources are degraded even before the entire population can benefit from them. This is primarily because of a utilization pattern that does not give due regard to the environment. Due to inadequate water supply services, many in the commercial and subdivision areas have turned to groundwater sources for their water needs. Digging a 100-meter water well in Manila used to produce as much as 300 gallons per minute, but now, wells have to be dug as deep as 550 feet to obtain the same yield. Over-extraction of groundwater poses a threat on the ecosystem since groundwater renews only after 1,400 years.
Water is life, and one hope in putting a stop to the destruction of this life source is education. Education for Teachers could not have come at a more appropriate time in the Philippines. More than ever today, our people need to be made aware of our water situation. Project WET has been an effective tool in educating children and adults on water-related environmental concerns. It offers a number of possible solutions provided by participants of Project WET activities. Through the program, CEAE has achieved what no other programs have: a chance to teach our people HOW to think and not just WHAT to think.