El Niño ideas: Cut water use for baths, brushing teeth

MANILA, Philippines — Every drop counts, so conserve water by cutting into half the volume normally used for taking a bath and brushing one’s teeth, or collecting rainwater for other household tasks.

This was the advice of University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (UPRI) executive director Mahar Lagmay and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Don Artes on Thursday as the country braces for the impact of a “strong” El Niño that is already being felt in many parts of the country.

The UPRI and the MMDA signed a memorandum of understanding centered on strengthening flood mitigation efforts in Metro Manila through research, hazard mapping and science-based planning.

READ: Super El Niño demands urgent, science-based governance 

“While we still have water, let us not waste it. Let us cut our usual bathing time in half. When brushing our teeth, let us also use only half the amount of water we normally use,” Lagmay said.

Rainwater collection

Aside from urging households to reduce water consumption during daily activities, he also recommended collecting rainwater in buckets for watering plants and flushing toilets.

“If every individual does this and millions of people do the same, it will make a huge difference. If we avoid wasting water and conserve more, we increase our chances of getting through this until the next rainy season,” the UP official said.

Artes said efforts should not be left to the government alone and that the public should do its share in sustainably using available water resource.

READ: El Niño could be ‘literally off the monitoring charts’ – UN

“There’s nothing to lose by collecting one, two or three buckets of rainwater in every household. If everyone does this, it could help reduce consumption from the water supply provided by our water concessionaires,” he explained.

“We are not being told to drink this water. It can be used to water our plants or flush our toilets. Even one bucket can be put to good use. So, let’s do our share,” Artes added.

Marcos approach: Buckets

President Marcos has earlier advised the public to buy extra buckets to store and collect rainwater in preparation for water shortages during the expected drought.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development has also distributed portable water filtration kits to communities with limited access to potable water.

Lagmay, meanwhile, said science-based forecasts and historical data could help authorities make more informed decisions and develop specific measures to prepare for the weather phenomenon.

According to him, the effectiveness of these preparations would also depend on public response as he urged Filipinos to heed scientific advice and remain “cautiously optimistic” about available data.

“If we listen to scientific advice and remain cautiously optimistic about the data we are seeing, we have a better chance of getting through this,” he said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has earlier warned that the very strong phenomenon will last through the first half of 2027.