Fourteen remote schools, especially in the mountainous areas in the 6th District of Negros Occidental, are beneficiaries of the rainwater collector system (RWCS) delivered by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
RWCS collects or harvests rainwater from the roof of the school facilities, and redirects into storage tanks rather than allow the water to runoff to the ground. It is a good way to store water, especially in summer where scarcity is expected.
Undertaken by the DPWH Negros Occidental 3rd District Engineering Office, each of the 14 rainwater collectors, all worth P3.4 million and funded under the FY 2022 General Appropriations Act, includes gravel fill, structural concrete, reinforcing steel, formworks and falseworks, plumbing, fabricated metal roofing accessory, painting works, structural steel, and water tank.
“Rainwater harvesting is less costly and reduces water bills, decreases the demand for water, promotes water and energy consumption, and reduces soil erosion, storm water runoff, flooding and pollution of surface water,” DPWH Region 6 director Nerie Bueno said in a statement Tuesday, as she cited the many benefits of rainwater collectors in addressing water shortage in schools.
With these rainwater collectors, we can have sustainable water to supply the needs of the schools, especially those built in the uplands. Rainwater collectors will provide convenience to teachers and students for their sanitary use, as well as for watering plants and crops, Bueno added. ||
