Treñas expects MIWD to solve water supply problem this week

City Mayor Jerry Treñas expects the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) to fulfill their commitment to address the water needs of the city as thousands of visitors are expected to visit the city for the Dinagyang 2009 festival this week.

The MIWD cut-down the water supply in the city for three days last week to pave way for the bypass connection from the town of Cabatuan to its water basin in Sta. Barbara. “Before the bypass connection was made, there is still water supply in our house but now there is no water coming from our faucets,” Treñas said.

He said he is in constant communication with the MIWD officials in checking the update on the water supply in the city. The mayor said he was informed that the water basin in Sta. Barbara is full of silt and caused disruption on the distribution of water supply to its concessionaires.

The MIWD did not initiate clean-up operation on its water basin before the bypass connection was made last week. The city residents have been complaining of the scarcity of the water supply coming from the faucets. And different hotels and restaurants in the city suffered losses because of the increase in the operational cost in water alone.

The mayor wants the water district to give solution to the limited water supply in order not to create burden among the city visitors. The water supply is not yet sufficient to meet the daily needs of the people. The water needs will soar with the number of visitors to arrive here, he said.

Earlier, MIWD General Manager Edgar Calasara assured the bypass connection will address the water supply deficiency. The 250 millimeter water pipe is replaced by a 600 millimeter pipeline to draw water from its source to the water basin.

Calasara said the bypass connection was their solution to the recurring problem of their concessionaires after the contractor who got the contract for the multi-million water works project which aims to improve their capacity to provide the water needs of the their concessionaires failed to meet the January 4, 2009 deadline.

The water supply dropped by more than 50 percent. The surface water decreased from 35,000 cubic liters per day to only 15,000 cubic liters per day. The water provided by the MIWD come from ground water or deep well coming from the towns of San Miguel and Oton. The ground water covers some required needs of the MIWD concessionaires in Mandurriao and Molo, said Calasara.

Maricar M. Calubiran, The News Today