BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – Water supply in this city and seven other towns in Iloilo province under its franchise areas has returned to normal levels, according to Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW).
Continuous rain since Wednesday improved the level from 94.79 meters to 94.91 meters above sea level (ASL) as of Friday, which was about to reach the normal level required to supply sufficient water.
Water supply production level increased from 79.332 million liters daily (MLD) to 80.398 MLD, significantly reaching the normal level, the MPIW added.
“The continuous rains over the past few days have significantly improved the water levels in the Aganan River, Maasin Weir, Jalaur River, and Tigum River. Consequently, our bulk water suppliers can now deliver a sufficient supply of 71 MLD to MPIW, above the normal level threshold,” according to MPIW.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the El Niño phenomenon continues to weaken and is projected to transition into La Niña by July.
The continued rains also replenished the Maasin Dam, alleviating some of the shortages plaguing several areas in Iloilo.
Angelo David Berba, MPIW’s chief operating officer, stressed the water supply improvement also exceeded the customers’ normal demand.
“The improved and normalization of water levels means that residents and businesses in Iloilo City and neighboring towns can now expect a more reliable and stable water supply,” said Berba.
He added that the MPIW will continue to enhance the water infrastructure and management practices to ensure sustainability and prevent future water scarcity.
Likewise, several commercial establishments in the city that booked for water tanker delivery even canceled their order since their water started flowing from the taps, according to Marie Joy Josue, MPIW corporate affairs and communications manager.
The sole water distributor has also released the new supply schedule for its customers in the city and nearby municipalities.
“With the increase in water supply, there will be no water supply scheduling in Iloilo City. MPIW reverted to daily water availability, hence the new water supply schedule,” said Josue.
On March 20, MPIW implemented operational network adjustments in certain areas in Iloilo City and nearby towns amid the dry spell caused by the El Niño phenomenon.
The water schedule came after the water level in Maasin Dam rapidly declined due to the prolonged absence of rains and high heat temperatures.
As the water utility continues to calibrate the adjustments to equitably distribute the available water to all its customers, some customers may still experience low water supply due to conditions of the pipelines (aged), elevation, and location of customer residence.
Although the water supply continues to improve, MPIW said it will still implement measures to maintain and improve water supply resilience, especially in anticipation of future dry spells or other weather-related challenges.
As part of its short-term goal, MPIW aims to recover water losses of 10MLD through massive pipe rehabilitations, the use of modern technology such as the Sahara Mobile Leak Detection, and Tyfo-Fibre Wrap Technology, and Data Loggers.
For its medium-term goal, MPIW said the development of the 60.5 Desalination Plant already started its pre-development works in January 2024.
The sole water distributor also aims at achieving sustainable water sources in the Visayas region as part of its long-term goal through aggressive and timely infrastructure development, resource management, policy implementation, and community engagement.
From 2023 until 2027, the water utility said it will invest heavily in infrastructure projects as part of its service enhancement program such as the P4 B for water service improvements.
MPIW is focusing on the installation of new pipelines and the replacement and repair of worn-out pipes and infrastructure assets. Its newly acquired pipeline from Spain, which is considered the largest diameter pipeline in Asia-Pacific, is expected to arrive in Iloilo City by the first week of June./PN
