Local government units across Negros Occidental could face severe “water stress” by 2030 unless the public and local officials unite behind the provincial government’s proposed Bulk Water Project.
Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II issued a strong appeal to all sectors—including government agencies, local officials, business groups, farmers, educators, and ordinary citizens—to set aside differences and support the initiative led by Governor Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson. Diaz presented a stark choice for the province: either unite to build a sustainable water infrastructure now, or face a future of blame and severe shortage when it is too late.
“The choice is ours to make,” Diaz said. “Let us act today so that tomorrow, our children and grandchildren will still have abundant, clean water to drink, to use, and to live by.”
The urgent call for support comes as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) raises alarms over a nationwide risk of “water bankruptcy,” a critical situation where national water consumption far outpaces nature’s ability to replenish itself.
According to data from the provincial government, the shallow wells, deep wells, and commercial wells currently utilized by local water districts are nearing critical depletion. The province is simply withdrawing groundwater faster than nature can naturally deposit supplies into underground aquifers and reservoirs.
To avert a catastrophic water shortage, provincial officials stress that the region must transition away from excessive underground water extraction and maximize surface water sources from rivers instead.
As a concrete solution to the looming crisis, the provincial government has identified the Malogo River in Barangay San Isidro, E.B. Magalona, as the primary site for the Negros Occidental Bulk Water Project. The site was selected after the Silay City government objected to an earlier proposal to tap the surface water of its Embang River.
The proposed bulk water supply project aims to create an environmentally sound, state-backed system designed to deliver affordable and sustainable potable water to households across the province.
However, Diaz emphasized that shifting to surface water must go hand-in-hand with aggressive environmental conservation. By protecting remaining forest covers and actively reforesting high-recharge watershed areas, the province can give nature the necessary time to replenish its fresh water resources.
With the DENR intensifying its nationwide water conservation campaigns, provincial leaders remind stakeholders that water should not be treated merely as a commodity. Instead, it is a fundamental human right and the vital foundation for regional health, agriculture, and economic development.
Since 2021, the provincial government has consistently sounded the alarm regarding the region’s long-term water security. Officials hope that this latest warning will finally galvinize the collective political and public will needed to secure the Negros Occidental Bulk Water Project.
