Water Security Challenges in Households in Tuba, Benguet, Philippines

Abstract

Water is a basic need and right of people. Yet there are water security issues, even in the Philippines. These are linked to global and national security and overall well-being. This study, therefore, describes the domestic water security issues of the households of the Twin Peaks National High School, Tuba, Benguet catchment areas, as represented in 2023 by the school’s students and personnel who reside in the locale. A sample of them voluntarily answered the researcher-prepared online survey questionnaire; 226 response sets were valid. Where appropriate, the researchers checked the Cronbach alpha to be acceptable. They summarized the responses in percentage and mean. As reported by the respondents, their households’ non-drinking waters are, from the most to least frequent source, via hosepipes from springs, streams, and waterfalls; private deep wells; commercial water delivery trucks; and rainwater harvesting. Most households experienced domestic water shortages and interruptions, mitigated by sufficient water storage containers and buying their drinking water. The households experienced problems with their non-drinking domestic water quality at the second highest level of “often”; 40% found their water supply generally unacceptable (odor, color, flavor, and dirt particles). Around 15% of them find their domestic water supply costly. Thirty- eight percent of them “often” or “very often” experienced the four adverse effects of the issues on their domestic waters’ properties. However, the households practice ecologically responsible water-related behaviors only at the second least ideal level of “sometimes true.” The findings add to the data-based information that domestic water security issues negatively affect households and individuals like those in the school’s catchment areas. They and everyone need to practice ecologically responsible behaviors to help arrest the said issues. The local government units also need to take appropriate actions.