The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has completed three community water supply systems in Barangay Datal Anggas, providing over 1,000 households across three sitios with direct access to clean, potable water. Built in response to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to address water security during severe El Niño dry spells, the new infrastructure includes centralized reservoirs, intake boxes, elevated storage tanks, and residential taps. These features stabilize the local supply and eliminate the grueling daily need for residents to walk up to a kilometer to fetch water from distant streams and wells.
This project marks a critical shift for the community, turning water security into a foundation for health and resilience. The new taps significantly ease the burden on women and young girls, who previously carried the daily responsibility of water retrieval, freeing up their time for livelihood and family care. Schoolchildren no longer need to wake up before dawn to bathe in streams or haul water to school; as a result, teachers report lower rates of waterborne illnesses like amoebiasis, alongside improved daily attendance and academic performance. Supported by watershed protection under the National Greening Program, these systems ensure that Datal Anggas is equipped to withstand prolonged periods of drought.
