CITY of San Fernando -- Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda on Thursday asked various water districts in the province to tap surface water from river channels and other sources in order not to deplete the fast decreasing groundwater.

During the Provincial Initiative on Water Resource Management here, Pineda said that if the overuse of groundwater continues, Pampanga will have a water crisis after a decade.

During the summit, it was learned that 12 of the 22 towns and two cities in Pampanga may experience groundwater shortage by 2025 due to over-extraction.

This was disclosed by Engr. Bryan Villamor, a consultant of the provincial government, who said Pampanga is overly dependent on groundwater.

“One main concern is the reported over-extraction or over-draft of groundwater sources. Based on ongoing studies, it is estimated that by 2025, 12 out of the 22 municipalities and cities in Pampanga may be at risk of groundwater shortage,” he said.

Villamor said 90 percent of Pampanga’s surface water is unused and only 10 percent of it is being for irrigation purposes.

He said the water at the Pampanga River Basin could be tapped by water districts to be converted into potable drinking liquid since it is the fourth largest river basin in the country with a total catchment area of 10,434 square kilometers.

Villamor said surface water is the best alternative to groundwater and would result in increased production because of abundant supply and may yield lower costs.

Pineda said the province should act now before it’s too late. “Huwag na nating hintayin na lumala pa ang ating problema sa tubig. Dapat ngayon pa lang may gagawin na tayo.” Bernard Galang