IBON: Forgo golf courses’ water supply in favor of irrigation

Amid critical supply of water for irrigation due to El Niño’s dry spells, a militant think tank has pushed for the lowering of water provision for “wasteful" golf courses. IBON Foundation said its study showed 18-hole golf courses nationwide consume 194,000 cubic meters of water a day, enough to supply water to 1,500 hectares of paddy rice. “This amount is computed based on a National Water Resources Board (NWRB) estimate that an 18-hole golf course consumes 51.84 cubic meters of water per hectare per day. There are 75 major golf courses in the country covering a conservative estimate of 3,750 hectares of land," IBON said in its website. info.ibon.org It added water consumed by golf courses can supply the crucial water needs of 516,085 households nationwide. “When dams reach a critical level, water allocation for irrigation is usually among the first to be reduced. In the case of the Angat Dam, this would mean cutting irrigation and threatening the rice production of around 31,000 hectares of agricultural land," it said. “Water needed by agricultural land and domestic use should be prioritized, it will help ensure food security as well as the health, sanitation and important water needs of the people," it added. According to the group, there are 13 golf courses that take up some 650 hectares in Metro Manila including Antipolo City. Such courses use some 18,576 cubic meters of water per hectare a day, it said. “This volume is enough to meet the water needs of 12,355 households in Metro Manila, where some 53,300 households in areas covered by private concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water are denied of water service," it said. IBON, a member of the water advocacy network Water for the People, said that amid the tightening water supply, NWRB should further lower the allocation for excessive water users such as golf courses. Also, it said authorities should strictly monitor and regulate water use by large commercial establishments like malls, hotels, private parks, and others. — LBG, GMANews.TV