BACOLOD WATER SUPPLY DOWN BY 12 PERCENT

The water supply in Bacolod City is down by 12 percent aggravated by the drought spawned by the El Niño phenomenon currently affecting the Philippines.

The percentage is equal to 15 million liters per day (MLD).

The situation has forced the city government to look for other sources of water to add to the existing water system run by the Bacolod City Water District with a private company, PrimeWater Inc.

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee”

Benitez in a meeting with stakeholders on March 7 said that two areas are being eyed to be additional sources of water for Bacolod.

These are the Matab-ang River in neighboring Talisay City and Bocal-Bocal Spring in Barangay Alangilan.

He said the technical studies are currently being done for the project to start.

“The impact of El Niño is currently affecting our water supply. There are ways to conserve water. Let us unite and take action together,” the mayor said. “We already have a shortage, and now, because of El Niño, the supply event went down. We have to work double time.”

PrimeWater has committed to source 5 MLD from Bocal-Bocal while tapping the Matab-ang River can contribute an additional 20 MLD of water.

Councilor Vladi Gonzalez, chairman of the Committee on Urban Poor, Housing and Resettlement, said that initial work, including pipe fusion and subsequent pipelaying, began on March 8.

The project is expected to improve the water supply situation in Barangay Mandalagan, including Eroreco Subdivision and Barangay Villamonte, particularly Villa Angela Subdivision, in the next two months.

Funding for the project is about P30 million to P50 million to be sourced from the budget of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

A task force will be created to ensure the completion of the project.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fire Protection has been rationing water to several sub-villages and schools with limited water supply for several days, especially in Barangay Mandalagan.

Chief Insp. Stephen Jardeleza, city fire marshal, said they would accommodate requests from the village councils, but only on limited hours since they are not allowed to discharge water for non-fire activities between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.