National Water Resources Board
Also known as: NWRB · National Water Resources Council (historical name)
Definition
The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) is the Philippine government agency that regulates and coordinates the country’s water resources. It implements the Water Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 1067), issues water permits for the appropriation of rivers, lakes, and groundwater, regulates the rates of water service providers outside major metropolitan concessions, and coordinates national water policy as an agency attached to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. (Wikipedia)
Identities
| Source Type | Identity |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | National Water Resources Board |
| Wikidata | Q6979351 |
| DBpedia | N/A |
| ProductOntology | N/A |
| Wiktionary | N/A |
| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) | N/A |
| MeSH | N/A |
| NCBI Taxonomy | N/A |
| AGROVOC | water resources |
| Google Scholar | National Water Resources Board Philippines water permit Water Code regulation |
| ConceptNet | water |
| OpenCyc | N/A |
Also Known As
- NWRB
- National Water Resources Council (historical name)
Examples and Analogies
- Water Permit: A farmer or water district must obtain a permit from the board before drawing water from a river or deep well for bulk use, much like a driver needs a license to use a public road.
- Rate Regulation: Small water utilities outside the Manila and Cebu concessions petition the board for tariff adjustments.
- Basin Planning: The board assesses river basins to decide how much water can be allocated among domestic, irrigation, industrial, and ecological uses.
Usage Scenarios
1. Applying for a Water Permit
An irrigation association files an application to divert river water, which the board evaluates against existing rights and available supply.
2. Regulating a Private Water Utility
A subdivision water system seeks approval of its rates and service standards from the board.
Strategies
- Follow the Water Code’s priority order, which places domestic and municipal use first in allocating scarce water.
- Promote integrated water resources management at the river-basin scale rather than project-by-project decisions.
- Balance groundwater permits against recharge studies to arrest over-extraction.
Security and Safety Measures
- Permit conditions include measures preventing contamination and over-appropriation that could harm downstream users.
- During droughts and El Nino events, the board coordinates allocation cutbacks to protect drinking-water supply first.
Historical Context
The agency began as the National Water Resources Council created in 1974 as part of the Marcos-era reorganization of the water sector, gained its permitting powers through the 1976 Water Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 1067), and was renamed the National Water Resources Board, later placed under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources by a 2002 executive order. (Wikipedia)
Challenges and Controversies
Overlapping Mandates
Water supply, irrigation, sewerage, and flood control are handled by separate agencies, leaving the board’s coordination role chronically contested.
Groundwater Depletion
Uncontrolled deep wells and land subsidence in urban coastal areas have drawn criticism of the board’s enforcement reach.
Related Topic
National Irrigation Administration