Almost every year, the country faces water sustainability issues as part of the El Niño or dry spell seasons. In collaboration with researchers and innovators in the country,   the Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development (PCIERD) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) increased its efforts to provide timely and practical solutions to these problems.

In a recently completed project, Dr. Antonio F. Mateo of the AMECOS Innovations, Inc., developed the Innovative Rain Water Harvesting System (IRHS).  The IRHS collects, stores and purifies rainwater into clean, purified water that can be used practically for household and industrial needs. The IRHS can reduce the demand for fresh water needs for bathing and cleaning, regularly supplied by water utility companies. It is a simple and easily adaptable and a creative intervention in response to the impending water shortages.

Humanity depends on water for survival as well as for convenience. Before, fresh water supply was not a problem because of the presence of natural watersheds and river basins.  Often the occurrence of a water shortage has been delayed rainfall, population increases, decreases in well capacity, sediment accumulations in reservoirs, and increased water requirements, both domestic and industrial.

In the Philippines, where most regions have been experiencing water shortages, private and public institutions, barangays, local government units (LGUs), academe and the NGOs can be tapped to exercise water education programs. These programs could be on water conservation, reusing and reclaiming water, and actual installation of a rainwater harvesting system in their houses, buildings, farms, industries and communities.  

The IRHS prototype consists of direct rainwater catchment units, ceramic candle, bucket type water filters, molding units and the discovery of some mineral storage that improves the PH value of the rainwater collected. The IRHS unit is complete with holding units, screen filters, disinfectant chamber, ceramic clay filters were completed and is continuously being tested and developed.

This low-cost water reservoir can easily be adopted by rural and urban communities to be used in schools and government offices. According to Dr. Mateo, a 6,000 liter-capacity IRHS in Hagonoy, Bulacan and a 4,000 liter-capacity at Munting Paraiso School, Barangay Ponso, Polangui, Albay have been installed which are already providing clean water to these barangays.