IN ILOILO City, an innovative leap towards establishing a desalination plant to ensure potable water supply is creating so much excitement and anticipation. It could set a precedent and inspire similar developments across the country. The partnership between Metro Pacific Water Investments Corporation and the French-based firm Suez to construct a facility capable of transforming seawater into potable water, while offering a solution to Iloilo City’s water supply problem, can also be a template for other areas.
This project, aiming to produce 65 million liters daily, is designed to tackle the growing demands of a booming urban population and an expanding economic landscape in Iloilo. The city, driven by sectors such as business process outsourcing and tourism, is experiencing water demands that strain existing water resources, particularly amplified during periods of drought. This situation is not unique to Iloilo but is echoed in numerous regions across the country, where water scarcity threatens to stymie growth and development.
The desalination project in Iloilo City can be an illustrative guide on multiple fronts. It showcases the viability of desalination technology in the Philippines – an archipelago where many areas ironically suffer from similar water insufficiencies. The technology’s application here could galvanize other regions to consider seawater desalination as a feasible option, especially in coastal cities where sea water is abundant but fresh water is not.
The project also underscores the importance of community involvement and local government collaboration. As noted by Metro Pacific Iloilo Water, the active engagement of local government units is vital for the successful enforcement of water management strategies. This aspect of the project emphasizes that for infrastructure projects to truly be successful, they must be embraced by the community they aim to serve, ensuring that initiatives are not only technologically sound but also socially sustainable.
As this desalination project in Iloilo City takes shape, our policymakers, community leaders, and industry experts across the country should reflect on this model, evaluate and potentially replicate this to address one of the most pressing problems of our times — water scarcity. When innovation meets determination in the pursuit of community welfare and ecological sustainability, we not only secure water for today but also ensure sustainability and growth for future generations.
