148 Thv Philippine Journal of Science im 



WATER SUPPLIES OK PANAY 



lluilo. — The general features of the water supply situation of 

 Iloilo have already been referred to," so that only some of the 

 more significant details need be discussed here. The water sup- 

 ply problem of Iloilo Province presents the characteristics and 

 difficulties encountered in other parts of the Archipelago, with 

 the added complication that, so far, no really good artesian supply 

 has been developed. In the city of Iloilo the problem has always 

 been exceedingly perplexing, because the surface wells are all 

 brackish, and except for rain water all natural waters used for 

 drinking purposes have to be carried for considerable distances. 



Many deep wells have been drilled, most of them in the city 

 of Iloilo, with rather interesting results. Those in Iloilo, the 

 majority of them flowing wells, are between 80 and 90 meters 

 deep, no good water having been found at greater depths in 

 this locality. The deepest well on Panay is at Janiuay. It is 

 a flowing well 375 meters deep, which yields an intensely salty 

 water. The deepest well whose water might be considered 

 potable is about 165 meters deep, located at Santa Barbara. 



Chemically the artesian-well waters show marked peculiarities. 

 They are all brown, charged with gas, and as already pointed 

 out,^" have an abnormally high free ammonia content. All of 

 them are brackish," the well at Santa Barbara showing the 

 lowest chlorine content (240 parts per million). A marked 

 peculiarity is the absence of sulphates. Most of the waters 

 are very hard and high in mineral salts, so it is interesting to 

 note that the Santa Barbara well, with a total solids content 

 of over 1,000 parts per million, contains no calcium, and that 

 the Mandurriao and Molo wells are very low in calcium content. 



With the present unsatisfactory character of the deep-well 

 waters it seems probable that rivers and springs will have to be 

 utilized to a much greater extent than they are now, and that 

 greater care will have to be exercised in safeguarding available 

 sources. 



Although rain water, often improperly collected and carelessly 

 stored, is hardly a source above suspicion for domestic purposes, 



'This Journal, Sec. A (1915), 10, 65. 



"Ibid. (1914), 9, 339. 



" It is interesting to note that in Iloilo many people, among them 

 Americans and Europeans, have accustomed themselves to drinking the 

 deep-well water (total solids content, 2,000ii; and chlorine content, 800-900) 

 without experiencing any noticeable ill effects. 



