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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
 Posted - 07/11/2010 : 04:19:09
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Baguio receives a historic average of 1,074.4 mm (42.299 inches) of rain in July, and 1160.8 mm (45.701 inches) in August. Yet there is a serious public water shortage here. What water is delivered generally flows only twice a week, and is not at all safe to drink. Baguio City water is useful only for such things as commode flushing or clothes washing.
Nearly every house and apartment has its own water tank. If your water runs out before the next ration, you can be S.O.L. Drinking and cooking water comes in bottles. A number of dining places buy their ice from ice manufacturers who use pure water. Unless I know this to be the case, it's "No ice, please" anytime I get a drink.
Bim and I have been hauling water in a huge plastic bucket for most of a week from our absent landlords' outside faucet, and taking cold, dipper-at-a-time baths in (but not from) the shower. It seems the supply valve from our tank malfunctioned and both blocked water to our apartment and leaked it onto the ground at the same time. The adult son of my landlady and landlord made a temporary fix, and promises to replace the valve when the tank will likely be empty, on Wednesday morning.
(The landlords, whom I have not yet met, have been in Manila for several weeks, attending a hospitalized relative. Here, as in some other Asian countries, it is expected that relatives attend hospitalized patients. One bed is provided for a relative, for each hospitalized patient.)
It rains so hard here that a low-lying part of Baguio called City Camp is badly flooded on a regular basis during rainy/typhoon seasons. There is a drainage tunnel which is intended to keep City Camp dry, but it often becomes clogged with trash and debris. Recently, dynamite was used in an attempt to unclog the tunnel. The drainage tunnel leads to Crystal Cave, which must be a lovely sight with trash and dead dogs floating through it. Crystal Cave itself, I hear, empties spectacularly from a steep mountainside down-slope from here.
Makes me thirsty (for a San Miguel) just to think about Baguio City water.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
Edited by - HalfMooner on 07/11/2010 05:21:34
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sailingsoul
SFN Addict
2830 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2010 : 06:53:21 [Permalink]
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Do they have cisterns? That's the first thing they build when building a house here. 10x10x8H, two. They would be better off catching rain water. That's what's done in the Caribbean. When the cistern goes dry you call a water truck. $425 for 5,000 gal. here on St. John. People buy water after 2 or 3 months of no rain. With the rain your getting, you would never run out. I get by with less than 4 gallons a day for a shower, cooking and washing dishes, easy. I have to drive my car, fill 5 gallon water cooler bottles, then ferry them by dingy out to my boat. So I know how much water I use. When I lived on my boat in the states I thought 10 gallons a day was low usage. Three(15 gal.) will last 4 or 5 days. I bet in a year you'll be doing this in your sleep.
That rain is intense. Especially if you caught out in it. Once you get the weather patterns down you'll be able to work around the down pours it like a local. Thanks for posts and updates,mooner. I enjoy reading them. SS |
There are only two types of religious people, the deceivers and the deceived. SS |
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sailingsoul
SFN Addict
2830 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2010 : 06:58:09 [Permalink]
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| I also meant to say, run a down spout from your roof into your "tank". I know your just renting, it's not your call. SS |
There are only two types of religious people, the deceivers and the deceived. SS |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 02:57:52 [Permalink]
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So, SS, you know from experience what a similar water situation is like, where no utility delivers pure water reliably.
No cisterns I am aware of, just rooftop tanks, and tanks on elevated points of peoples' property, and tanks on small towers. Not easy to see how to get roof water up into most of those.
Today, just 24 hours after (I thought) my rooftop water tank was refilled, I found myself all soaped up in the shower, with no remaining tap water.
Luckily there was a couple of liters of cold water in a bucket nearby. I don't mind taking a "navy shower," but rinsing in cold water after soaping up in hot is almost painfully unpleasant. I'm now of a mind that there's something more wrong with my apartment's water than one bad valve. The owners must fix this, or I will get another place. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 07/12/2010 03:06:46 |
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Ebone4rock
SFN Regular
USA
894 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 04:20:23 [Permalink]
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| Water, water everywhere... |
Awww man, you had to go quote one of my favorites. |
Haole with heart, thats all I'll ever be. I'm not a part of the North Shore society. Stuck on the shoulder, that's where you'll find me. Digging for scraps with the kooks in line. -Offspring |
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Ebone4rock
SFN Regular
USA
894 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 05:44:07 [Permalink]
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| Don't they have any kind of water filtration systems available in the Phillipines? |
Haole with heart, thats all I'll ever be. I'm not a part of the North Shore society. Stuck on the shoulder, that's where you'll find me. Digging for scraps with the kooks in line. -Offspring |
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sailingsoul
SFN Addict
2830 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 08:35:48 [Permalink]
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It sounds like the tanks on the roofs are for a gravity feed water system. I like that but the water pressure is way less than what you get otherwise. It does reduce total water usage over time. What they do here is they have a cistern low, below the roofs. On the lowest level of the building. They'll have one or two cisterns. With only one cistern, they'll have a divider that keeps the bottom halfves separate. You see with only one when you run out, you get no warning. By having two when one goes dry you can switch to the other as a back up. Of course when both are empty your out. Anyway a pump draws from the tank and supplies pressure water to the building as long as there is power. See the benefits of gravity feed systems?
Does your (landlord) pay for how much water you do get by volume, when they're getting it from the city?
Does your tank fill completely during the time they're supplying water? It's possible that it might not be on long enough to fill completely due to flow rate and size of tank. If so, there is a way to get it faster than they supply it, by adding a booster pump as the line that goes into the roof tank.
To catch your rain water you need a system that contains the rain water low then it is pumped up to your roof tank when needed or when it is available. Not likely something your going to get the owners to spring for.
Today, just 24 hours after (I thought) my rooftop water tank was refilled, I found myself all soaped up in the shower, with no remaining tap water. |
So now you know, always keep a spare 5 gallon bucket full for toilet of shower rinse offs.
There really isn't a water problem per say. It seems there's a water handling and management issue. Most of your water is going where you don't get to use it. I suspect this is more of a site specific issue, with the proper application of equipment and knowledge there would be no lapses of water, almost ever, save equipment failure.
Just by keeping 5 or 10 gallons as back up your probably covered. Cheers. SS
So Mooner what's the exchange rate, dollars to peso's? What's up with property prices, does renting compared to owning? You know a single batchelor is so much more good looking when they own a home. SS
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There are only two types of religious people, the deceivers and the deceived. SS |
| Edited by - sailingsoul on 07/12/2010 10:44:52 |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 11:19:56 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by sailingsoul
It sounds like the tanks on the roofs are for a gravity feed water system. I like that but the water pressure is way less than what you get otherwise. It does reduce total water usage over time. What they do here is they have a cistern low, below the roofs. On the lowest level of the building. They'll have one or two cisterns. With only one cistern, they'll have a divider that keeps the bottom halfves separate. You see with only one when you run out, you get no warning. By having two when one goes dry you can switch to the other as a back up. Of course when both are empty your out. Anyway a pump draws from the tank and supplies pressure water to the building as long as there is power. See the benefits of gravity feed systems?
Does your (landlord) pay for how much water you do get by volume, when they're getting it from the city?
Does your tank fill completely during the time they're supplying water? It's possible that it might not be on long enough to fill completely due to flow rate and size of tank. If so, there is a way to get it faster than they supply it, by adding a booster pump as the line that goes into the roof tank.
To catch your rain water you need a system that contains the rain water low then it is pumped up to your roof tank when needed or when it is available. Not likely something your going to get the owners to spring for.
Today, just 24 hours after (I thought) my rooftop water tank was refilled, I found myself all soaped up in the shower, with no remaining tap water. |
So now you know, always keep a spare 5 gallon bucket full for toilet of shower rinse offs.
There really isn't a water problem per say. It seems there's a water handling and management issue. Most of your water is going where you don't get to use it. I suspect this is more of a site specific issue, with the proper application of equipment and knowledge there would be no lapses of water, almost ever, save equipment failure.
Just by keeping 5 or 10 gallons as back up your probably covered. Cheers. SS
So Mooner what's the exchange rate, dollars to peso's? What's up with property prices, does renting compared to owning? You know a single batchelor is so much more good looking when they own a home. SS
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Thanks for the info. Power for pumping is itself unreliable in the Philippines, though there's been no brownouts since I've been here. I suppose the gravity-feed system is used here because of distrust of the electric supply. Right now, I have no answers to your water questions. I have no ladder and haven't tried to otherwise climb onto the roof, and Amboy, the landlord's son, hasn't gone up there to peek at the problem, either.
The exchange rate right now is about 46 Philippine Pesos to the dollar.
Buying a house or other real property is not legal for a non-Filipino. Some expats get their wives to be legal owners. That requires a good deal of trust. I'd have to research property prices to tell you what an "average" house costs. I haven't properly checked that out, yet, though I do recall that about one million or so pesos will get a modest home. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 11:37:40 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Ebone4rock
Don't they have any kind of water filtration systems available in the Phillipines?
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Yes, and I intend to buy one -- once I have a reliable supply of dirty water to purify. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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tw101356
Skeptic Friend
USA
333 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 19:59:13 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by HalfMooner
Buying a house or other real property is not legal for a non-Filipino. Some expats get their wives to be legal owners. That requires a good deal of trust. I'd have to research property prices to tell you what an "average" house costs. I haven't properly checked that out, yet, though I do recall that about one million or so pesos will get a modest home.
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But apparently you can buy a condo as long as the total foreign ownership of the building is 40% or less. Nice FAQs here:
http://www.baguiohomes.com/real-estate-info/FAQ_on_Land_Ownership.html
Here's one listed for only $55,000 or so.
http://www.baguiohomes.com/real-estate/Resale_Condo_Units/Athena_Unit_609.html
Of course, no telling what it would be like dealing with a condo association where you're the only foreigner in the building.
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- TW
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2010 : 22:13:46 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by tw101356
Originally posted by HalfMooner
Buying a house or other real property is not legal for a non-Filipino. Some expats get their wives to be legal owners. That requires a good deal of trust. I'd have to research property prices to tell you what an "average" house costs. I haven't properly checked that out, yet, though I do recall that about one million or so pesos will get a modest home.
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But apparently you can buy a condo as long as the total foreign ownership of the building is 40% or less. Nice FAQs here:
http://www.baguiohomes.com/real-estate-info/FAQ_on_Land_Ownership.html
Here's one listed for only $55,000 or so.
http://www.baguiohomes.com/real-estate/Resale_Condo_Units/Athena_Unit_609.html
Of course, no telling what it would be like dealing with a condo association where you're the only foreigner in the building.
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Thank you much for that information! I will look into that possibility. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2010 : 03:06:14 [Permalink]
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My water problem has at last been identified, and is being fixed. Amboy, the landlords' son, climbed the roof today and found a broken elbow joint on the pipe coming from the bottom of my tank to my apartment. He should have that repaired by Sunday, when new water is coming from the city.
Meanwhile, Amboy has generously offered to let Bim and I use the very good hot shower in a tiny, unoccupied transient apartment. I did so immediately today, luxuriating in the steam and soap suds.
It's good to be clean. At least, everyone else seems to appreciates my sudden cleanliness. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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sailingsoul
SFN Addict
2830 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2010 : 06:29:47 [Permalink]
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| By Mooner and found a broken elbow joint on the pipe coming from the bottom of my tank to my apartment. |
So there are more than one? How many tanks, for how many units? are there one for one? SS |
There are only two types of religious people, the deceivers and the deceived. SS |
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Ebone4rock
SFN Regular
USA
894 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2010 : 06:52:20 [Permalink]
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Oh how I recall when I first realized that not everywhere in the world is fortunate enough to have an unlimited supply of fresh, clean spring water like I had growing up and still have today.
It was when I left for basic training in San Diego during a drought. We had to ration the water and it tasted like shit......Then I boarded a ship and it was even worse.
I am fortunate that I live in a water-rich area.
Sorry, just reminiscing........ |
Haole with heart, thats all I'll ever be. I'm not a part of the North Shore society. Stuck on the shoulder, that's where you'll find me. Digging for scraps with the kooks in line. -Offspring |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2010 : 09:00:20 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by sailingsoul
| By Mooner and found a broken elbow joint on the pipe coming from the bottom of my tank to my apartment. |
So there are more than one? How many tanks, for how many units? are there one for one? SS |
Yes, each of the four units, including the landlords' and the vacant apartment, has its own metered tank. I don't know the capacity of the others, but mine is four "drams," says Amboy. (Though I was unaware of this dram liquid unit, Amboy's statement doesn't make a lot of sense, since a liquid dram is only 0.0009765625 of a US gallon, or 0.003696691 of a liter. Maybe I misunderstood, or a Philippine dram is much bigger.) |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2010 : 09:10:18 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Ebone4rock
Oh how I recall when I first realized that not everywhere in the world is fortunate enough to have an unlimited supply of fresh, clean spring water like I had growing up and still have today.
It was when I left for basic training in San Diego during a drought. We had to ration the water and it tasted like shit......Then I boarded a ship and it was even worse.
I am fortunate that I live in a water-rich area.
Sorry, just reminiscing........
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San Diego water is mostly Colorado River water. It's very, very, hard water, and indeed tastes like shit if you've had better water anytime recently. Luckily, I grew up with it, never realizing how nasty it was. I do credit it for my very hard head. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Water, water everywhere...
