Catchment Tanks That Store Rainwater May Help Solve Baguio Floods

Baguio City is popularly known as a vacation spot that has a cold climate because it is way above sea level. But despite its elevated location, the city, surprisingly is still susceptible to floods. In fact, 2012's tropical storm Helen left Baguio submerged while 2013's typhoon Labuyo brought on the same devastation along with landslides. Given the continuous occurrences of atmospheric disturbances, we have to be prepared that more of them will come.

Flooded Baguio
photo borrowed from worldvision.org.au

SM Baguio is thus planning to build a catchment tank to capture and store rainwater to help reduce floodwaters that damage households and business establishments. In addition, stored water has many non-potable uses such as irrigation and watering of plants.  

Rainwater, according to SM executives, will be processed by a sewage treatment plant so it can be reused in the mall operations instead of sourcing its requirements from the local water district. This process has actually already been successfully implemented at SM Masinag in Antipolo and at SM BF in Paranaque.

house with a rainwater catchment tank
photo borrowed from architecture.com

I hope SM also has plans to build more catchment tanks in their many other malls located in flood-prone areas in Metro Manila. Who knows, this technology might actually be one of the direly needed solutions to our country's flood problems that seem to be perpetually present every time the rainy season comes.