The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR’s) Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) announced Friday, July 7, that it has issued the guidelines for the implementation of water conservation measures by all government offices.

*(File photo: Manila Bulletin)

* This was in line with Malacañang’s Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 22 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin last June 7 which orders all government departments and instrumentalities to strictly implement water conservation measures as part of efforts to prevent a water crisis amid a looming El Niño phenomenon. In WRMO‘s Bulletin No. 1, it alerted all government personnel about MC 22 and the water conservation program for public offices and reminded everyone of the "impending El Niño and potential drought conditions this year." The bulletin established water conservation requirements for all government offices to follow through their building managers. As such, it noted that all agencies must have separate water meters and water meters shall be regularly checked to ensure that they are functioning properly. “They may contact their water service provider if a sub-meter needs to be installed,” it said. “Harvested rainwater, if possible, should be used instead of potable water to clean premises or water plants,” it noted. In addition, it reminded building administrators to check for leaks and faulty fixtures, especially in toilets, and to be observant of floors and walls that may be constantly wet or covered with molds due to moisture. The WRMO also advised shutting off the main building valves from 7 p.m., or as soon as staff members had left the workplace entirely, until 6 a.m. a day later. The bulletin also provided a chart comparing per capita consumption versus total monthly consumption based on the number of frontline agency visitors and workers. “As a guide, each employee must not consume more than 50 liters of water per day in office buildings (also consider the number of visitors for frontline agencies) and not more than 180 liters per day in households/condominiums and 24/7 offices. Multiply these per capita consumption guides and compare with your total monthly consumption (1,000 liters = 1 cubic meter),” it stated. Earlier, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. directed the WRMO to monitor the progress of all departments towards conserving water through the analysis of their monthly water bills, in a bid to reduce their consumption by 10 percent. In April, Marcos created WRMO by virtue of Executive Order No. 22. Its main mandate is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water resources in the country.