Providing Sustainable Water Supply in the Municipality of New Bataan, Davao De Oro: The Challenges of Water Governance in a Local Government Unit

Abstract

This paper examines the challenges of water governance in the Municipality of New Bataan Davao De Oro in providing sustainable water supply in the community. With its bountiful and rich water source coming from the watersheds of Mt. Tagubud, there is still water supply scarcity being experienced by the residents. It has showed that fragmented policies and decisions from the national and local level limits the local government unit to make innovations on water delivery services and has become a water governance issue. It also exhibits the conflicts of water use and that overlooks the need to the proper utilization and appropriation of waters. It also showed that investment of water related projects in the municipality is least of their top priority as they are focused mainly on economic growth. Thus, artificial scarcity is a result of improper water governance at many levels. With this, the LGU itself must come up with innovative ideas on how to utilize its natural water resources in accordance with the water laws, the Water Code of the Philippines and the other laws of land.