ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

RONIELYN SENTIN BSA-1A FEBRUARY 27, 2023

KALIWA DAM PROJECT

"What men need, nature gives," as the saying goes, but why aren't we safeguarding it?
If the infrastructure is the issue, why doesn't the government propose a dam that will cause
the extinction of species rather than urging the rehabilitation of existing water reservoirs and
strengthening the installation of effective water distribution systems and facilities? After
reading the article on the Kaliwa Dam Project, these were the first two questions that came to
mind. The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, or MWSS, has long advocated
for the building of dams to avert an anticipated water crisis in Metro Manila. The Kaliwa
Dam is designed to lessen reliance on the Angat and Ipo dams.

But I have to say that I strongly oppose the project because it will submerge parts of
the Sierra Madre in Tanay town, Rizal province, and General Nakar and Infanta towns,
Quezon province. Not only will it have a terrible impact on people's lives, but it will also
wreak havoc on the habitats of thousands of endangered wildlife species in the Sierra Madre
mountain forests, which would be a terrible loss for the ecosystem. The construction of the
dam is anticipated to destroy the biodiversity and habitat of 126 species in 300 hectares of the
Sierra Madre, submerge 291 hectares of forests, and put 100,000 people downstream at risk
of severe flooding. Because to the rapid pace of sedimentation in the area, it too faces a
limited lifespan of 5–6 years. A dam cannot provide for the metro Manila's water security on
its own. Despite its advantages, there are more significant drawbacks that go mostly
unnoticed. Before recommending its building, they should take into account its merely
disastrous consequences. People play a significant role in this water dilemma as well. I
believe that in order to ensure that the supply of water lasts, people need to learn how to
conserve it and examine its usage. Enhancing services by reducing non-revenue water lost
due to water pipe leaks is another cost-effective alternative. Cites water recycling as another
effective solution to the problem, noting that cleaned wastewater might be used for a variety
of industrial activities as well as irrigation of gardens, farms, and other outside areas.

When they placed the project on hold, it was excellent news, but I hope it will now be
completely halted. The Kaliwa Dam Project is just one possible dependant solution. As
communities would be impacted by the construction of the dam, indigenous people would be
relocated, and a natural resource would disappear, the government should also listen to the
people and ought to have thought of a workable and viable alternative to alleviate the
country's water shortage.