FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENA"Tl.l. 
s, No, 
1'138 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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The consensus among climate scientists is overwhelming that climate change is occurring 
more rapidly than can be attributed to natural causes and that significant impact to the water 
, supply are already occurring, Among the first and most critical of those impacts will be change 
to patterns of precipitation around the world, which will affect water availability, Drinking water 
utilities throughout the United States, as well as those in Europe, Australia and Asia, are 
concerned that extended changes in precipitation will lead to extended droughts, Supplying water 
is highly energy-intensive and will become more so 'as climate change forces more utilities to 
turn to alternative supplies, 
Since 2003, the'drinking water industry of the United States has sponsored, through a 
nonprofit water research foundation, various studies to assess the impacts of climate change on 
drinking water supplies, Those studies demonstrate the need for' a comprehensive program of 
research into the full range of impacts on drinking water utilities, including impacts on water 
supplies, facilities, and customers, That nonprofit water research foundation is also coordinating 
internationally with other drinking water utilities on shared research projects with counterpart 
European and Asian water research organizations to develop a unified research agenda for 
applied research on adaptive strategies to address climate change impacts. 
There is a need then to form a local counterpart body to take advantage of this global 
network of knowledge to prevent a water crisis.* 
'This bill was Ol'iginally filed during the 14'h Congress 1" Regular Session 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
SEN1'W 
S. No. 
.l38 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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COMMISSIONING A RESEARCH ON CLIMATE CHANGE DRINKING WATER 
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ADAPTATION 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. In General - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, in 
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cooperation with the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Energy, shall 
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establish and provide funding for a program of directed and applied research, to be conducted 
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through a nonprofit water reseaTch foundation and sponsored by drinking water utilities, (0 assist 
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suppliers of drinking water in adapting to the effects of climate change. 
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SECTION 2. Research Areas - The research conducted in accordance with this Act shall 
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include research into: 
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(1) Water quality impacts and solutions, including research 
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(A) To address probable impacts on raw water quality resulting from: 
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(i) Erosion and turbidity from extreme precipitation events; 
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(ii) Watershed vegetation changes; and 
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(iii) Increasing ranges of pathogens, algae, and nuisance organisms 
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resulting from wanner temperatures; and 
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(B) On mitigating increasing damage to watersheds and water quality by 
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evaluating extreme events, such as wildfires and hurricanes, to learn and 
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develop management approaches to mitigate: 
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(i) Pennanent watershed damage; 
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(ii) Quality and yield impacts on source waters; and 
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(iii) Increased costs of water treatment; 
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(2) Impacts on groundwater supplies from carbon sequestration, including 
research to evaluate potential water quality consequences of carbon sequestration 
in various regional aquifers, soil conditions, and mineral deposits; 
(3) Water quantity impacts and solutions, including research: 
(A) To evaluate climate change impacts on water resources throughout 
hydrological basins of the Philippines; 
(B) To improve the accuracy and resolution of climate change models at a 
regional level; 
(C) To identify and explore options for increasing conjunctive use of 
aboveground and underground storage of water; and 
(D) To optimize operation of existing and new reservoirs in diminished 
and erratic periods of precipitation and runoff; 
(4) Infrastructure impacts and solutions for water treatment facilities and 
underground pipelines, including research--
(A) To evaluate and mitigate the impacts of sea level rise on--
(i) near-shore facilities; 
(ii) soil drying and subsidence; 
(iii) reduced flows in water and wastewater pipelines; and 
(B) On ways of increasing the resilience of existing infrastructure and 
development of new design standards for future infrastructure; 
(5) Desalination, water reuse, and alternative supply technologies, including 
research: 
(A) To improve and optimize existing membrane technologies, and to 
identify and develop breakthrough technologies, to enable the use of 
seawater, brackish groundwater, treated wastewater, and other impaired 
sources; 
(B) Into new sources of water through more cost-effective water treatment 
practices in recycling and desalination; and 
(C) To improve technologies for use in: 
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(i) managing and minimizing the volume of d,esalination and reuse 
concentrate streams; and 
(ii) minimizing the environmental impacts of seawater intake at 
desalination facilities; 
(6) Energy efficiency and greenhouse gas minimization, including research--
(A) On optimizing the energy efficiency of water supply and improving 
water efficiency in energy production; and 
(B) To identify and develop renewable, carbon-neutral energy options for 
the water supply industry; 
(7) Regional and hydrological basin cooperative water management solutions, 
including research into: 
(A) Institutional mechanisms for greater regional cooperation and use of 
water exchanges, banking, and transfers; and 
(B) The economic benefits of sharing risks of shortage across wider areas; 
(8) Utility management, decision support systems, and water management 
models, including research: 
(A) Into improved decision support systems and modeling tools for use by 
water utility managers to assist with increased water supply uncertainty 
and adaptation strategies posed by climate change; 
(B) To provide financial tools, including new rate structures, to manage 
financial resources and investments, because increased conservation 
practices may diminish revenue and increase investments in infrastructure; 
and; 
(C) To develop improved systems and models for use in evaluating: 
(i) successful alternative methods for conservation and demand 
management; and 
(ii) climate change impacts on groundwater resources; 
(9) Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy demand management, 
including research to improve energy efficiency in water collection, production, 
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transmission, treatment, distribution, and disposal to provide more sustainability 
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and means to assist drinking water utilities in reducing the production of 
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greenhouse gas emissions in the collection, production, transmission, treatment, 
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distribution, and disposal of drinking water; 
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(10) Water conservation and demand management, including research: 
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(A) To develop strategic approaches to water demand management that 
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offer the lowest-cost, non-infrastructural options to serve growmg 
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populations or manage declining supplies, primarily through: 
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(i) efficiencies in water use and reallocation of the saved water; 
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(ii) demand management tools; 
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(iii) economic incentives; and 
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(iv) water-saving technologies; and 
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(B) Into efficiencies in water management through integrated water 
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resource management that incorporates: 
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(i) supply-side and demand-side processes; 
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(ii) continuous adaptive management; and 
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(iii) the inclusion of stakeholders in decision-malting processes; 
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and 
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(11) Communications, education, and public acceptance, including research: 
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(A) Into improved strategies and approaches for communicating with 
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customers, decision makers, and other stakeholders about the implications 
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of climate change on water supply; and 
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(B) To develop effective communication approaches to gain: 
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(i) public acceptance of alternative water supplies and new policies 
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and practices, including conservation and demand management; 
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and 
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(ii) public recognition and acceptance of increased costs. 
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SECTION 3. Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as 
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hereby necessary is hereby authorized to be appropri~ted from the Nationai Treasury. Thereafter, 
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the amount necessary for the continuation of the program shall be included m the annual 
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appropriation of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 
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SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts 
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thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified 
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accordingly. 
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SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is 
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declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not 
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affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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SECTION 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
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following its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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