International conservation group World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF) revealed a looming water crisis in Laguna province, noting  that only 12 percent of the area’s rainwater is retained in aquifers.

A recent study commissioned by the WWF-Philippines showed that a measly 12 percent of the total rainwater in the province is retained, while the rest are lost through run-off or evaporation.

WWF warned that the amount of rainwater retained will likely to decrease further under a business-as-usual scenario.

“The study was commissioned for decision makers to safeguard local water resources for their constituents. With rising demands and a booming population, underground aquifers will be stretched to the limit,” WWF Sta. Rosa project manager Mark Ramirez said.

He said that to prevent more adverse impacts and water shortages, the study cited integrated watershed management solution, combined with behavioral change on the part of water users, proper land use zoning, infrastructure modification particularly in designing existing drainage systems and policy reforms.

The WWF and Coca-Cola Foundation are working together to restore the natural productivity of the Laguna Lake by rehabilitating its tributary, the Sta. Rosa River Basin.

Both are presently working on tapping the lake as a primary water source of an estimated 13.2 million Filipinos in six provinces and at least 60 municipalities, through the rehabilitation of the Sta. Rosa river basin.

The study noted that the low-lying communities of Sta. Rosa, Cabuyao and Biñan in Laguna, and Silang in Cavite comprise the Sta. Rosa Watershed.

WWF said the watershed has been the primary source of domestic, industrial and agricultural water for the region, where most industries in the south of Metro Manila is located.

It also said there is an ongoing initiative to regularly assemble all stakeholders and decide on the best courses of action. “The move aims to avoid droughts by ensuring that local water resources are properly managed, while ensuring that flood and extreme weather impacts are minimized,” Ramirez said, adding “the system also highlights the adoption of new sustainable technologies and best practices from previously successful sites.”

He said the program is part of a global partnership between WWF and the Coca-Cola Company to steward freshwater resources throughout the world, including the Mekong, Rio Grande, Rio Bravo, Southeastern United States, Mesoamerican Reef, Coastal East Africa, Danube and Yangtze River systems.

WWF cited that Coca-Cola pledged $20 million for this initiative in June 2007.

Ramirez pointed out that since February 2008, WWF has been conducting institutional and scientific studies to aid the decision-making-processes of local government units, coordinating dialogues with stakeholders through summits and inter-LGU meetings and discussing policy recommendations to sustain ongoing initiatives.

It is facilitating the drafting of the combined drainage and sewerage master plan for Sta. Rosa, Biñan, and Cabuyao, considered the first of its kind in the country, which is expected to address the perennial flooding problem in downstream areas.