Stock up on water
COWD TO KAGAY-ANONS
An official of the Cagayan de Oro City Water District (COWD) said residents of the western part of this city should prepare for “any eventuality,” meaning, households should stock up on water as the hiss of air coming out of faucets instead of clean tap water may become more common in the next weeks.
Engineer Bienvenido Batar Jr., COWD assistant general manager, said another round of water interruptions may hit the western part of the city following the water district’s rejection of the Rio Verde Water Consortium’s request for a water rate increase to fund the rehabilitation of the damaged pipes.
“Wala man ta gaingon nga naa gyuy mahitabo nga pagkapalong sa tubig, pero dili man gud nato matagna kung unsay ilang himuon so angayan mangandam,” Batar said.
Last October 26, the Rio Verde has asked the water district for a water rate increase saying the hike is necessary to fund the P60 million full rehabilitation of its damaged pipes to prevent further service interruptions in the future.
The COWD turned down the request citing legal constraints, which include the Fraud Audit Report of the Commission on Audit (COA), the COA disallowances, and the nullification of its contract with Rio Verde now pending at the Courts.
Engineer Jofrrey Hapitan, Rio Verde’s senior vice president for operations, then said, should water interruption recur, the blame is now on the water district.
“So before naay mahitabo, we hope naay tigom daan ang mga residente aron sad ma alleviate ang kinahanglanon while we are addressing the problem,” Batar said.
But Batar assured the public that they will resolve the matter in any venue, before anything happens.
He said, to date, pressure and water supply are so far normal, based on their monitoring.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the water issue, Joel Baldelovar, a member of the Board of Directors of the COWD, has resigned.
But in a radio interview yesterday, Baldelovar clarified that his resignation the current problem of the COWD.
“I have a job offer that requires full time work,” he said.
Baldelovar said he submitted his resignation last October 4 and was approved by the board on the same day.
“No conflict of interest for now, pero involving water business ang akong new job, basin puhon naay eventual conflict of interest,” he added.
Baldeolovar’s resignation is effective on December 31 this year.