MAASIN CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) field office here has started installing a new batch of rainwater collection systems in 16 schools in Southern Leyte aimed at curbing water shortage and promoting water conservation in the province.
Recipients of the project are national high schools (NHS) in Libhu, San Rafael, Asuncion, Ibarra, Guadalupe, Dongon, and Maasin City National High School in Maasin City; Ichon and Villa Jacinta in Macrohon town; Lungsodaan in Hinundayan town; Hinunangan in Hinunangan town, Liloan in Liloan town, Himbangan in St. Bernard
Elementary school (ES) recipients are in Padre Burgos town and Asuncion Integrated School in Maasin City.
The P3.4 million project is part of the climate change adaptation of the administration to curb water shortage by maximizing the use of rainwater.
“With this kind of innovative initiative, we hope that in the future, the growing concern of diminishing water supply for sanitation in particular places will be fully addressed,” said DPWH Southern Leyte chief Ma. Margarita Junia.
Rainwater collector system harvests, collects, and stores rainwater from the roof, groundwater catchment or multipurpose pavement to store it in tanks with capacity of 4, 000 liters.
Accumulated rainwater is distributed to toilets, wash rooms, and other utilities through pipes or faucets attached to the system. In 2016, the DPWH installed 15 rainwater collection systems in Southern Leyte province.
The project aims to answer the perennial concern in water shortage in Southern Leyte due to over extraction of groundwater, water pollution, illegal connections, water pipe leakages, faulty water meters, and climate change. (PR)
