Last week, I talked about several things in the Philippines that were “high pressure.” Mostly, that has referred to driving in the Philippines, where you are constantly under pressure to pay attention to what is happening on the road around you. It is stressful, and high pressure, at least in my opinion.
Today, I want to talk about something that is certainly low pressure. I’m talking about water. I don’t recall ever living in any house in the Philippines that had adequate water pressure. It is always a problem of getting enough water pressure to enjoy a good shower, or do other things that require a good amount of water pressure.
I am told that there are areas that have adequate water pressure, but so far I have not experienced it. Davao has good water – it is potable, fresh, and won’t make you sick. You can drink straight from the tap, and it tastes good too! The only problem I have with Davao City Water District (DCWD) is that they can’t seem to give enough pressure!
This morning, I was getting ready to take a shower, and Feyma warned me… “Honey, you might not be happy with the water pressure, when I showered there was barely any water coming from the shower head.” Oh well… I took my shower, and it was kind of OK. Not a huge amount of pressure, but enough to get by on. At least I am happy that I have hot water, because when I lived in GenSan, I had to take cold showers. I find that uncomfortable. Can you imagine, here in the boonies of Mindanao we have hot water? I have heard from expats in Cebu that they are still suffering with those cold showers every day (Rusty, are you listening?).
If only we could get some decent water pressure, I’d be a happy man!
Normally, I’d say that I like the feeling of not being under excess pressure. When it comes to water, though, I want it to be high pressure!
On my first trip to the Philippines i was dismayed at first by having to take cold showers. Eventually i got used to it and after a few hot days it became welcome. But it puzzles the heck out of me why so many people in the Philippines have no hot water when they have so much solar energy coming in free every day. I know commercial solar water heaters are expensive, but there's just got to be a low-tech, low-cost way to use a little bit of that solar mana from heaven. How do you heat your water, Bob? Do you know anybody who has a solar water heater?
Buy a water pressure pump. Set it to about 40 – 50lbs and you will have plenty of pressureTakes little time to install. You can take it with you if you move. Problem solved FOR GOOD
Hi Bob – In agreement with Steven's comment, we employ a water pressure pump and holding tank for maintaining adequate "shower-grade" water flow. Being in a more rural setting, we had to sink a well as the public water system hadn't made it out to our barangay.
Of course, we're dependent on our electricity co-op ("for our water pressure"), and find our holding tank adequate for "normal" brown-outs. Will be adding a generator to take care of longer outages, but the good ol' tabo tabo with a tepid mix of hot boiled and cold well water provides a cheap substitute power shower!
😆
Bob,
The only type of showers I had in the RP was the Big Bucket from which you used a small dipper bucket to wet down,soap up, then rinse.
Boy how things have changed over there since 1983. I hope the beer is still cheap.
Stop your whining. "lol" Its a small price to pay for your piece of paradise.
Its rather a simple device Bob, water tank much like a conventional toilet only bigger water tank ( like the ones u see on the roof) with a fill stop ball float to stop it from over filling then place a demand pump in bottom of tank…when it senses a pressure drop the pump kicks on, shuts off when back pressure is sensed.
Hi Bob, at our house in Cebu we have a shower downstairs and a bathtub upstairs. Water pressure is not a problem but upstairs we have help from our water tank to help with pressure. We're considering getting an on-demand heater for the tub, but for me my favorite is the bucket and kabo. After the first shock of cold water, it's the most refreshing!
Bob,
Try a best tank and a pump. When we lived in Butuan the water situation in many places was horrible, Estacio Village was considered best neighborhood in Butuan but if lived there you had to have a pump and tank or suffer by only having water for 3hrs per day and the 3hours where in hours most sane people should be sleeping, same thing in most other neighborhoods as well. Only way around this was a tank and pump, we had same situation in Cebu also. However, In the barrio house we had adequate water pressure although when there I preferred to use the boomba. Most common water problems in PI that can be solved by a pump, a best tank, a ozone system and a below shower water heater.
Justin
Not sure if you need to go to the expense of the tank. If you have adequate water supply then you just need the pump to increase the pressure flow within your household so the pump goes in-between the supplier line and your household line. However, if the water supply is not so great then you would put in as paul suggested a holding tank. The complete system can be done for well under 40k. Just go to any hardware place and they will explain various setups. Ace, tru-value, Citi, home depot, etc…..and will do the install for you in a jiffy
Bob,
Im currently in Arizona USA, returned here 3yrs ago this month together with some filipinos who now have assylum in states, long story. Ive lived in Butuan, Cebu and spent considerable time as well in Surigao as wife has few houses there.
About the water, Water quality in Butuan was really poor (ie feces in the water) and my middle child almost went blind from the water but luckly we took her to doctor and a filipino Dr. Named Dr. Villinueva saved her eyesite, she spent over a week in hosptal. After that we followed the Dr's advise and bathed the kids only in wilkins distilled water. He said many children in the city had gone blind from the water, very bad sitution for the poor who cant afford distilled water, gasul to boil the water nor hospitalization to save their kids eyes.
Justin
Bob,
I was told by the doctor the water had feces in it as the pipes where old and cracked and allowed feces and such to enter through the cracks, the area had no budget to replace the pipes and as such children got sick, went blind and also ilnesses such as Amebiasis (a illness passed through feces) could be cought from ingesting tap water, for this reason most people either bioled water or purchased distilled or purified water. This wasnt throughout entire city though as out in Ampayon area their water came from diffent source and was said to be cleaner.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/cd/cdameb.shtml
Justin
Bob,
Looks like your getting some good info on how to boost your pressure. I agree with the other Steve about the pressure booster. It doesn't required a large storage tank and can be installed fairly easily. Here's a link so you can see how simple it really is to setup: http://media.popularmechanics.com/images/lg_boost…
Bob,
That's really true , The doctor who treated our daughter was at that time the only opthamologist in Butuan gave me some figures about the number of children who had gone blind, I have since forgotten the exact numbers but remember thinking at the time the number seemed like more than should have been allowed. A friend was director of water district at that time so I talked to him about the problem and he said that there was no budget to replace pipes. Even kids died from dengue despite fuming being readily available and cheap to do, city would not pay to fume areas but private parties could request and pay for the city to fume had they just fumed every time a dengue case was detected in a area they could have saved lives etc etc.
I never will forget going with the students from BDC to do survey in various areas, one of questions was rather the household had a flush toilet , dig and bury toilet or tie and throw. Unbelievably many homes had a tie and throw toilet which is where they pooped in a plastic bag and throw it out window, really gross was one area where squatters had many houses in a square type area and all throw their poop out window, its really disgusting but their rationality was when rain comes it cleans it away. Along riverside was common in survey to meet people who just had a hole in their floor and pooped directly into river. Same with houses near canal , they also just had hole and pooped directly into the water canal.
Justin
I find it really hard to believe that most Filipino homes have hot water at the tap any place in the Philippines. When I lived in Cebu City we had hot water at the tap. Even in Bogo City, the pension houses have hot water.
The home I'm renting isn't targeted at expats, though it probably should be. My landlord is a bit of a tightwad. 🙂 Her views on what the tenant should pay for are rideculous. She may find it hard to get another expat in here without adding it but then the price is so low for a four bedroom home that they will do like me, just put the hot water in themselves. I will do that, but I'm still recovering from the shock of moving here with nothing and starting over with nothing. 🙂 Not even a freaking towel. LOL
When homes are targeted at the rich or well off Filipino they have hot water, at least at the shower head. Almost no one has hot water at the tap.
As for drinking water from the tap, I stopped doing that in the states and Memphis had water from deep wells and won awards for the best water in the USA. It still has to go through pipes. 🙂
Water pressure is great here but that's because almost every home has its own little water tower. Probably the lower rent and poorer Filipino housing doesn't have it but the concrete homes all have water towers added so no problem with water pressure.
But without that, yea water pressure is a pain just about every where. In Tacloban, jessie ancestral home rarely had running water, a few hours a day, I think she said at night when the businesses were not as active was the only time she had running water, otherwise they used the well.
We have a well in our compound in Bogo, there are several homes in the compound and some of he Filipino house holds do use it. Squeaky thing (pump by hand) just outside our bedroom window. Get the roosters to shut up then that thing starts up. LOL
I still don't understand how you escape the roosters there in Davao, I don't think its possible in Cebu. Maybe in a high rise condo. 🙂 I told Jessie the other day I needed to get a rooster. She looked at me as if I was nuts. LOL Iasked her I need to experience the culture. To be Filipino. 🙂 I was mostl just messing with her though, the last thing the Philippines needs is another freaking rooster. 🙂 I'd miss them if they were all gone now. There want another one. LOL
So your telling us that most homes in Mindanao have hot water at the tap or even at the shower? Even outside of Davao? I've seen pictures of homes in Davao that there is no way they would have had hot water, they barely had walls. 🙂 Of course, I don't know how common that is because I've not been there.
Grrrr, its cloudy out today, that's great until its time for a shower. LOL One thing is for sure, they are cold in this house. Sometimes they are bearable though, the water in Bogo is warmer than most places, thank God! Its odd though, sometimes when I think the water will be warm its the coldest and of course when I think it will be "freezing" it is warm.
When you coming for a visit? I'm gonna stick your butt in a cold shower. LOL
……Its very disgusting to hear that story in Butuan since i have a friend who live in there, For me, the best thing to do if you go to Philippines is to find a place where you can live in comfort, like exclusive subdivisions, there are lots of subdivisions in Davao where you can breath a fresh air and very secured but you just have to let go some money out of your pocket……….
Joy
……………hey its like everybody is bitchching with my country! lol…..Yea as said earlier, if you want to have a better place to stay with, buy a house in an exclusive subdivision, there are lots of very nice subdivisions specially in Davao, where you can have a quiet nights with no roosters crow in the morning. lol
i think Philippines https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/613e38c7c8a7e370c965b329761da885c70f7731dce31d4e521b116aafa944e9.jpg is great place we have lived in zamboanga city for 14 yrs im British and wifes pinoy never thought much about hot showers fresh mango for breakfast ppl nice solar system grid linked and everythink looking great place is dream to live 5000 sqr mtres heaven https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/440f661445d1dcd76511bc5f2fb301ff917d28fee1e4b7d17510a0aeeee0e9a9.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f8ec9c74e64cab31b3b0bd93a55e5a20a01d18b5b12c61a91155553e2248c282.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/cd757b69f1581cadd8c4c7e6a3e7c3bf17d473beb843d2220cacebc5db3ba48c.jpg
Hey Bob looks like you got your question answered before I got out of bed today …OH WELL 🙂 Bob you have a happy hot shower ok … Phil n Jess
Hello,
After reading my own comments on Bobs article I hope noone thought Im bashing their nation as doing such wasnt my intentions, rather was just being realistic and stating what I saw and experienced. Anyway, Sorry if it sounded bad but it was reality.
Regarding those exclusive neighborhoods, I truly wouldnt want to live in one as spent a while living in a alledgedly exclusive neighborhood and must say I hated every second of it as was lonely, never saw neighbors as they lived in self-made prisons and only left in car and didnt even see them opening gate as where so lazy they would honk horn for 30minutes to get helper to open gate rather than doing it themselves. I liked living in a plain place as enjoyed having stand bys around, hearing chickens and etc
My unsolicited advice, If a person wants to live in Philippines but maintain western standards and amenitys one may as well stay in the west because many amenitys we take for granted simply dont exist in the Philippines even in the alledgedly exclusive neughborhoods and even if one could live such a lifestyle it would cost at least the same or possibly more to enter into it than it would in states so on top of everything the benifit of lower living cost would be lost. I think many folks ended up unhappy by expected a truly American lifestyle in the Philippines at a far lesser price, it doesnt exist.
Justin
hello Bob
They are hooking up city water to our place in pozorroubio pangasian, and i will
probably get it as a back up but i have a well so I plan to use that, as for hot water
thats a must i have been pricing hot water heater for my house.
Take care
James
Bob:
When we were looking in Manila last year, nearly every house (detached, not Condo) we looked at had no hot water… Granted, I did not even look into western compounds, though… I would not want to live in one, so I don't. Buying a hot water heater was an irritation, but not too expensive (I think it was around 6,000 plus 500 or so for install). Rebecca was also used to boiling water by habit anyway, and we drink bottled, so no biggie. Our water bill from Maynilad Water only runs about 90 pesos per month… Showers, cleaning, and washing machine… Very cheap, I'd say. We also have lousy pressure and I've looked into the pumps… it is a good solution, but if you have frequent lapses in supply, you need to make certain that the pump has adequate breakers on it so that you don't burn it out.
Kamusta ka Bob,
I am surely not a plumber, but I do know a little about it. The only problem is, is whether the same equipment is available in the Philippines. I know you are on city water there, but you are still having problems with water pressure. I know when we had well systems in Southern Maryland, we would buy and install pressure tanks, and that would usually do the trick as far as water pressure. But I am not sure how they would be hooked up to city water….a much better "plumber" there would need to advise you on that…..good luck with the hot showers, and I guess for me, I will need to get use to cold showers when I get there, at least until I get a hot water heater installed.
Take care all,
Danny
Hi all, my in-laws house in Ulas has great water pressure, although I have noticed it is pretty poor in other places I have stayed in Davao and in other parts of the Phils too. We will be buying a hot water heater(electric) when we go there in march, any recommendations?
Hi Bob,
Strange though to hear that there isn't much water pressure in your house because when we were still in living in Marfori Heights, the pressure was actually high that I had to adjust the valve from the meter to our house since I don't like to be splashed with water in the kitchen sink whenever I open it.
I bought a house in Cabantian too and it's where my family is staying now, same thing also, too much pressure, that the plastic blue pipes unfortunately had burst located just below the kitchen flooring. Yeah, it was a very bad job by the developer that I have no other recourse but to re-pipe it, this time made of GI pipes. Still i had to adjust the valve from the meter as i've told you, the pressure was too much for me or i'm just lucky?
Bob,
I have my own well. I use a submergible pump with a circuit breaker to operate it. We have a 2,500L tank and the house is gravity flow. Installed one of those instant heaters and it works great. Then again I placed the water heater on it's own line so that's the only thing on the line. Let me know when/if you make a trip to Cebu. Maybe I will be in Bohol so you can stop in and take the grand Bohol tour with my luxury SUV service.
Hey bob, when you decide to do what ever you do with your water pressure lets us know " Inquiring minds need too know "… Tanks , pumps or your kid standing on a ladder pouring hot water over your head , let us know …????? 🙂 Phil n Jess
Kamustat ka Bob,
I am planning a trip this April to Maasin City, Southern Leyte. As for moving there, I am hoping later this year or early 2010 for the big move there. I really want to be there before the holidays next year..is my plan.
I am just getting my finances together, as well as any obligations I have here done, and making arrangements the best I can, so it will be an "easy" move.
Of course I have hit a snag in the road now, as you know or remember I am in retail management here in Florida. My company has just announced closing of some of its stores here in South Florida, and of course now the one I work at is one of them. So I maybe able to transfer to another store close by, or I might be jobless very soon. But that is ok, it might just mean, that I get to the Philippines a little earlier. We knew this might happen, only thing is is it happened a lot earlier than we all expected, and I was hoping for a little more money to put away before I come over.
As far as me being excited in coming over, you just don't know. Bob, I wish I was there right now!!! Remember as a child the night before Christmas? The excitement and anticipation of opening presents, that's how I feel when I think about it, and just getting the chance for Rose and I to get our lives started there.
Rose is one of the most patient woman I have ever met, and she knows that this move for me is a big one, and that being totally prepared for it is very important for the both of us. I just can't or won't just jump in "head first" without planning this the best we can.
The good thing about moving there, is that we do have a house to live in, just needs some fixing up. Aside from my savings, I do have employment there if I want it, her fathers business is still going, but not as strong as it was before he had a stroke. But his health is getting better each day, and soon he will be back to work full time and will need my help as well. I look forward to working with her father, plus looking into some business ventures of my own. Our work there will take us to Mindanao too….just outside of Davao City quite often, so that will be a big plus in the chance of Rose and I getting to possibly sit down and have coffee with you and Feyma. That is my plan for now, we'll see how well I can do all of this in the next year or so.
But as far as being excited, too many words and expressions come to mind right now about how I feel about moving there. I have told you before, I know it will be a big transition for me, and will not be easy at first, I expect that. But I do have an open mind about the different culture and life I will be living there in Philippines. I actually look forward to this change, I believe it will do me good, and I am looking so forward to it.
This website is so valuable to me as well, the wealth of information is so helpful to us "greenhorns". Salamat for this website and all who contribute!!!
Daghang salamat ahong amigo,
Danny
Hello Bob,
I've tried that cold thing at home before I came this time because I knew I was not staying in a western hotel this time but in a rental in Davao City. Didn't work for me so I had Josey and her aunt check around and bought a portable hot water shower. Worked great early in morning and late at night, Any other time not enough water pressure in the house to get it to kick on. Built safety switches so will not burn up elements. Good thing is when we left it went to Josey's house and she says it works great there. By the way at the western hotel I stayed at I would have to call the desk almost every morning to get water pressure there. Great article, I thought I was just not lucky. Now I will plan for that too.
It seems there are dificiencies in many municipal water systems there. I wonder if there is a common reeason for this such as undercapacity as the population outgrew the originally intended capacity of these systems ? Is it lack of water from reservoirs ? Insufficient funds available for maintenance and repair or possibly a combination of all of these ?
My visits there were a real eye opener in this respect as to how people deal with it such as filling large containers with water when it is available for use later.
Are individual wells, pumps and tanks used in outlying areas where there are no municipal water systems if someone could afford to have a well drilled and a water pump with the appropriate tank installed ?
When I first thought of visiting Mindanao and was checking hotels on line when I saw " Hot Water " as one of the amenities of certain hotels that clued me in about the lack of universal hot water as found in other parts of the world. I had never thought about that before.
I have always lived with my own water system with a well, electric pump, tank and 40 gal hot water heater so obviously that is what I am acoustomed to. Fortunately the hotels I stayed at in Iligan City and Cagayan De Oro must have had their own water tower or pump and tank system as well as hot water and there was never a lack of either of those.
I first tried one of those in-shower hot water heaters about 10 years ago when I was in the UK. I was a little reluctant at first to just hop into a shower with a 240 volt electric hot water heater box hanging on the wall while showering but it did a nice job of heating just the amount of water being used and after a few times I could see the advantage of having one.
JUSTIN :
I appreciate the comments in your last paragraph. I have been having similar thoughts, the more I learn about The Philippines although in the mean time it has been a great place to visit !
Bob,
When I lived in Fortune Homes in Lanang the water pressure got so low from about 8am through about 11am. There was enough water pressure to fill the bucket but not to get to the shower head.
Since I could not manage to bucket shower and properly rinse myself off, Elena would help me shower.
Now we live in El Rio Vista, we always have suffecent water pressure.
The biggest problem I saw was when I was working on Buhangin. There was NO water pressure, or better, no water until about 12-1pm. Every evening they would full a large barrel in both the mens and ladies CR to use the next day.
Sometimes by mid morning the bucket was empty.
From watching construction I have notices one of the problems is the main waterline into most areas is too small for the amount of meters connected to it,
But, just like needing a sewer system, how do they correct it? Tear down the whole city and start over?
Hello Guys! Just wanna share something again, maybe the reason why we usually doesn't have hot water in the Philippines is that we have a warm weather and so its nice to have a cool shower with high humidity, Yea, here in States i expect to have hot bath for winter always sucks, you know??? And its snowing here in Virginia now……….I am not trying to put you down guys but Philippines is a complete diffrent lifestyle compare to United states, When I first move here in United States, I have to adjust with everything, the way your culture are, and I think I also expect foreigners to adjust to my own culture too, just like learning my own language….Before i move here in United States with my husband, I live in Davao City for almost 6 years, and yes, I experienced having low pressure and no hot water at all, but as you live there long, I am sure you will just get used to it, sure enough you get used to the cold showers………….So my advice is that enjoy the warm weather and the cold showers!!!! Lol
Ha-ha I could make sure you are connected to the net long enough to do your articles. Can't help you out with time enough to write them though. Don't know how mad they would be… Hmm then again, you could just write an article in before you leave and tell everyone in advance it's Mike K's fault.
Bob
I really like to know where I can buy a rainwater tank in TAgbilaran. We are tired of using bucket for bathing ang for the loo. II s there any hardware stores in Tagbilaran that sells water tanks? thanks
Bob
I really like to know where I can buy a rainwater tank in TAgbilaran. We are tired of using bucket for bathing ang for the loo. II s there any hardware stores in Tagbilaran that sells water tanks? thanks
Tess
Hi Tess – I believe that nearly every hardware store has such tanks.