Water resorts development along Laguna de Bay, Philippines: Impacts of tourism on water use and energy consumption

One major tourism activity in areas along Laguna de Bay, the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines, is the water resorts industry, which includes hot springs and spas. This study aims to examine the impacts of increasing... [ view full abstract ]

One major tourism activity in areas along Laguna de Bay, the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines, is the water resorts industry, which includes hot springs and spas. This study aims to examine the impacts of increasing number of hot spring resorts in Calamba City and in the municipality of Los Banos in Laguna province on the sustainability of groundwater resources and on energy use. Calamba, being known as the “Hot Spring Capital of the Philippines”, has more than 400 resorts, while Los Banos has at least 40 resorts. An initial survey of hot spring resorts indicates a huge demand on groundwater for the resort pools and spas (Jago-on et al, 2017). Aside from the demand from water resorts and tourism activities, groundwater is also extracted to provide for the domestic, commercial and industrial needs of Laguna province. The volume of water consumed by these resorts is more than 70% of total domestic water use in Calamba. Initial estimates also show that substantial amount of electricity is consumed to pump groundwater for these resorts. Uncontrolled exploitation of groundwater has resulted to drying up of older wells. The 4-period water sampling in selected hot spring water resorts reveals a decrease in water temperature in the past 40 years, an indicator of groundwater over extraction. Monitoring of actual groundwater extraction in these water resorts however, is a challenge for the national and local government as most of these hot spring resorts operate in the locality even without water use permits. As provided in the Water Code of the Philippines, water users need to register and apply for permits for water rights allocation, but still many resorts in Calamba and Los Banos have not registered with the National Water Resources Board, the national government agency mandated to implement this water policy. Groundwater is a reliable water source especially during extended dry periods, but if extraction is left unregulated, this can result to a decrease in groundwater supply and can affect the ability of the resource to provide for the future demands of the population and economic activities in the study areas. This can also lead to competition and conflicts among different water users. Pumping of groundwater also increases energy consumption in the area. It is then necessary to strengthen collaborations among local and national government agencies, tourism industry players (business sector), and communities in monitoring and regulating groundwater use, and in implementing laws and policies that can help promote the sustainability of water and energy resources in the province.