Ninety seven percent (97%) of the Earth?s water is in our oceans, and is unusable because of its high salt content. Two percent (2%) is frozen in glacier and ice caps, also unusable. The remaining one percent (1%) is the water we can use, and this comes from rivers, lakes and streams that provide us with about ten percent (10%) of our usable water. In year 2003, the United Nations declared celebration of Earth Day with the theme, ?Water: Two Billion People are Dying for It?, an alarming information on the scarcity of clean water and a threatening emerging reality that we need to face in the near future.

Access to safe water remains an urgent human need. While the world population tripled in the past century, the aggregate use of water increased six-fold. The World Commission on Water estimates that water use will increase by 50% in the next 30 years. It also projects that half the world?s people, mostly in developing regions of Africa, the Middle East, and the South Asia, will be under severe water stress by year 2025. Current use is degrading water sources through the erosion of upper watersheds, depletion of aquifers, and pollution of ground and surface water.

And the sources of clean water are now being contaminated. Contamination of our water bodies is evident in some parts of the country and it can happen to any water body in the Region.

When rivers are contaminated, their capacity to support aquatic life is decreased when decomposition of pollutants lower the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. Some pollutants become nutrients to aquatic plant life like algae hence algal bloom and eutrophication results suffocating aquatic life because dissolve oxygen will now be depleted. Unlike fecal contamination, oxygen loss does not endanger health directly, but its effect on aquatic life is economically important.

The bourgeoning of industries in the Region, mining and agricultural production are inevitable. These become sources of pollutants and contaminate river systems with toxic chemicals and heavy metals such as lead and mercury. Organic pollutants are hard to remove from drinking water and they may bio-accumulate in shellfish and fish, which may eventually be eaten by people. What was alarming report being the determination of metals and pesticide residues in marine fish and shellfish found in Pangasinan, Cagayan, Batangas, Palawan, Albay, Aklan, Eastern Samar, Zamboanga and Davao in early nineties.

The approval of the Philippine Water Act (Republic Act 9275) in 2004 sets a more comprehensive policy on economic growth and water quality which are embodied in PD 984 and this is in a manner consistent with the protection, preservation and revival of the quality of the fresh, brackish and marine water. The policy includes the following:

a) To streamline processes and procedures in the prevention, control and abatement of pollution of the country?s water resources; b) To promote environmental strategies, use of appropriate economic instruments and control mechanisms for the protection of water resources; c) To formulate a holistic national program of water quality management that recognize that water quality management issues cannot be separated from concern about water sources and ecological protection, water supply, public health and quality of life; d) To formulate an integrated water quality management framework through proper delegation and effective coordination of functions and activities; e) To promote commercial and industrial processes and products that are environment friendly and energy sufficient; f) To encourage cooperation and self-regulation among citizens and industries through the application of incentives and market-based instruments and to promote the role of private industrial enterprises in shaping its regulatory profile within the acceptable boundaries of public health and environment; g) To provide for a comprehensive management program for water pollution focusing on pollution prevention; h) To promote public information and education and to encourage the participation of an informed and active public in water quality management and monitoring. i) To formulate and enforce a system of accountability for short and long term adverse environmental impact of a project, program or activity; and j) To encourage civil society and other sectors particularly labor, the academe and business undertaking environment-related activities in their efforts to organize, educate and motivate the people in addressing pertinent environmental issues and problems at the local and national levels.

The ?heart and soul? of the law is the establishment of watersheds where water bodies will be protected through a well-planned water quality management to be implemented by a Water Quality Management Board. Market-Based instruments, a mechanism that ensure equitable use of water resources through environmental user?s fee, have been emphasized in the Law. As the year ended, the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of this law are set for final public consultation in January 2005.