(Photo by Leinellyn Palomique)
Opinion by Amabelle Abong
One does not have to be an expert or have a degree in politics or economics to earn a public seat, that is why we have some senators who comment on issues they know little to nothing about.
With the recent water crisis in Metro Manila and Rizal, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III proposed desalination, or removal of salt from seawater, as a solution.
"Mag-desalination plant na tayo. Bakit ang Saudi Arabia, ang mga Middle East countries ang lakas ng tubig? Napakaraming tubig… kasi nag-desalinate sila. Mag-desalinate tayo ngayon kahit mahal," the senator said in a March 14 interview with CNN Philippines.
[Let's have a desalination plant. Why do Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries have lots of water? It's because they desalinate their water. Let’s desalinate now even if it’s expensive.]
Enticing as it may seem, desalination is not the best and most sustainable solution to address fresh water shortage in the long run. Rafael Madrigal, the Research and Planning Technical Manager of Manila Water, said that desalination would increase the production cost of water to around three to four times its current rate.
With this, our monthly water bills would surely increase. Could we sustain living in a country where water, a basic need, is priced like gold?
Not only would desalination increase water rates, but it would also be energy-intensive as the process would require a huge amount of energy input like electricity for operation.
Desalination is feasible for Saudi Arabia and Middle East countries since they have abundant supply of fuel and oil reserves to run powerplants. This is simply not the case in the Philippines because the country’s energy resources are not as abundant.
According to a 2019 study* by Institute for Water, Environment and Health at United Nations University in Ontario, Canada, desalination plants produce 50 percent more brine, a toxic slurry, than freshwater.
After desalination, brine goes back into oceans. Its excess salt content causes an increase in the temperature of coastal waters and decreases the level of oxygen, which can create “dead zones” in the aquatic biosphere.
Yes, desalination can increase the freshwater supply in the country, but is it worth the death of our marine biodiversity?
The problem with the water supply in Metro Manila and Rizal lies beyond what we see from the surface. Its roots lie beyond the El Niño season or the La Mesa Watershed reaching critical level. We must consult with experts and ask for a viable and sustainable solution that can properly address not only the present water crisis but also its implications to people’s lives and to the environment.
*Source: AP-JIJI. (2019, January 15). Desalination plants producing 50% more toxic waste than clean water, study shows. The Japan Times.
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