DOST Brings Water Disinfection Technology to Brgy. Bagong Silangan, Addresses Issue on Potable Water Shortage
The World Health Organization and Unicef Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene reported that at least 47% of the Filipinos have access to clean drinking water as of 2020. Water.org, a non-governmental organization reported that as of 2021, “3 million Filipinos rely on unsafe and unsustainable water sources and 7 million lack access to improved sanitation”. This is alarming since inadequate supply of potable drinking water, both in rural and urban areas such as Metro Manila, may lead to serious health problems including cholera, diarrhea, and amoebiasis to name a few.
To address this rampant problem, the government has signed Republic Act (RA) No. 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004, which aims to protect the country’s water resources, abate pollution from land-based sources, and improve water quality through the formulation of better water quality management.
Pursuant to this Act, the Department of Science and Technology-National Capital Region has remained steadfast to its vision of bringing S&T-based solutions which encapsulate the needs of the communities in Metro Manila, particularly on health and environment. It is with this commitment that the DOST-NCR brought water disinfection technology to Sitio Bakal, Brgy. Bagong Silangan, Quezon City.
On 10 March 2022, the DOST-NCR forged a partnership with the DOST Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI), Barangay Bagong Silangan, Good Neighbors PHL, Inc., and Bagong Sibol ng Mamamayan Para Sa Kaunlaran, Inc. celebrated through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Sitio Bakal.
DOST-NCR Regional Director Jose B. Patalinjug III turned over one (1) unit of the DOST-ITDI developed Upgraded Emergency Water Disinfection System (UPEDS) to the barangay.
UPEDS is a semi-continuous type, portable, and ready-to-use water treatment facility that can treat 170 liters of surface water per tank/cycle. The system was developed with the goal of addressing the shortage of potable drinking water within communities, especially in times of disaster.
This initiative is funded under the DOST-NCR’s Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology (CEST) Program.
By: Shaira P. Rapisora, SCCU