Groundbreaking for water plant

ORMOC CITY — A simple groundbreaking ceremony for the P40-million clarifying plant at the Ahag Filtration Gallery here, seen to solve the city’s water woes, was held here recently.

Present were city officials Mayor Richard Gomez, Vice Mayor Leo Carmelo Locsin Jr., councilors Vincent Rama, Bennet Pongos, Goito Yrastorza, city planning officer Raoul Cam and Ormoc Waterworks System officer-in-charge Engr. Fulton Manawatao.

Also present were Engr. Antonio Tompar, chief executive officer of Mactan Rock which is the contractor of the project, and his staff led by Engr. Corazon Egona, and water consultant Engr. Jose “Piping” Tolo.

Tompar said the clarifying plant, a technology which has been in the country for 30 years already, will solve Ormoc’s problem with turbid water. He said the project will be finished in three months, and they will set about rehabilitating the old water system on the fourth month. He promised to turn over the new water system by April, and said it will supply Ormoc with clean, clear, and regular water.

Ormoc, for the past six years, has been having problems with water turbidity. The problem worsened recently because the water system does not only conk out when it rains as it has no clarifying system, but it also can no longer keep up with the population which has ballooned since then.

Gomez, in his short talk, said that “people are excited with the project. They are excited with having a clean and good water supply.” He added that the improvement of the Ahag Filtration System is just the start of a series of water-related projects that his administration is undertaking.

He also said that the steps to solve Ormoc’s water problem had to be thought out carefully. Together with his team, he said, they had to make sure that the solutions presented are the ones that will solve the problem.

“Gihashasan gyud ni og maayo,” he said, adding he thanks the city council for making sure everything is above board.

The mayor also said he hopes that the national government will help with financing the planned Lake Danao Water System, as the city races to meet a spike in water demand for the next 10 to 15 years.

This year, three malls will be opening in the city -Robinsons, SM and Citi Mall- bringing an influx of people.

LALAINE M. JIMENEA Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez, Vice Mayor Leo Carmelo Locsin Jr, and Mactan Rock CEO Engr. Antonio Tompar, lead the groundbreaking of a P40-million clarifying plant in Ormoc City. With them are (from left) water consultant Engr. Jose Tolo, city surveyor Engr. Isidro Lumanta, councilors Noliyo Quilang and Bennet Pongos, Mactan Rock’s Engr. Corazon Egona, councilor Goito Yrastorza, Engr. Fulton Manawatao and councilor Vincent Rama.