An Improvement in water resources management in Dagupan City using system dynamics

Dagupan City is the business and commercial center of Pangasinan. At present, the only source of water for the people of Dagupan is from underground reservoirs extracted daily in huge amount thru massive deep wells scattered all over the city. In other words, the city has no existing surface water treatment plant and no dam to service its water requirements unlike Metro Manila or Cebu. Groundwater is not an inexhaustible source of water supply. Though it is rechargeable, water extraction on a colossal scale over a period of time would have the dire consequences of pore pressure reduction, weaken underground structure and salt intrusion which in turn will result to sinking ground surface, higher costs of building construction and greater devastation in case of an earthquake. The objective of this study therefore is to understand the behavior of the whole water system affecting the sustainability of the groundwater supply. All the data needed for this study were obtained from the Dagupan City Water District (DCWD), and the Dagupan City Hall. Using System Dynamics Analysis (SDA), the behavior of the system was able to be simulated. Subsequently, after coming out with possible scenarios and alternatives a preferred path of steps and solutions is proposed such as increase in water rates, a water treatment plant, availment of foreign loans having concessional rates with a grace period, water conservation measures, among other things in order to prolong and preserve the life of the groundwater supply