ILOILO City — Ten barangays here have so far been classified as critical water shortage hotspots amid worsening dry conditions linked to an impending El Niño, prompting the city government to intensify emergency augmentation operations and seek help from volunteer groups and private water suppliers.
The number of critical barangays has surged from only two recorded last year, while 25 communities across the city are now under close monitoring due to growing risks of supply disruption, declining groundwater levels, and saltwater intrusion.
City General Services Office (GSO) head Engr. Niel Ravena said the situation has become increasingly alarming as more barangays continue requesting emergency water deliveries.
“We have already delivered water to four barangays, but we are receiving more calls for assistance,” Ravena said.
Ravena said city officials are now coordinating with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) through the City Operations Center to strengthen water distribution operations before the shortage worsens further.
“We are meeting with the CDRRMO so maplastar naton ang operations because daw damo na gid barangays ang naga-request sang water delivery. We need to strengthen our augmentation response before the situation worsens,” he said.
The city government is also appealing for volunteer organizations and private tanker operators to augment its limited delivery capability.
“We need volunteer groups so their water tankers can help us distribute water, especially since two bulk water suppliers have already informed us they are willing to donate water for affected residents,” Ravena said.
The four barangays that have already received free emergency water augmentation are Calaparan in Arevalo district; Hinactacan in La Paz district; and Muelle Loney and San Jose in City Proper district.
Ravena said assessments remain ongoing to determine which barangays require immediate follow-up operations as additional requests continue to arrive.
“We are continuously checking our deployment logs because some deliveries are already being made while we are still validating new requests from barangays,” he said.
The GSO chief assured residents that all water delivered by the city is potable upon arrival but advised households to observe proper sanitation practices to prevent contamination.
“I would like to emphasize that the water is potable upon delivery. However, sometimes contamination happens through secondary handling — dirty containers, improperly washed gallons, or unsafe refilling practices,” Ravena explained.
“If the water is intended for drinking, mas maayo gid nga i-boil ninyo anay para sigurado nga safe gid,” he added.
Last week, the city deployed two static water tanks with a combined 4,000-liter capacity at Calaparan Gym in Arevalo, one of the hardest-hit communities.
Aside from Calaparan, the other barangays identified as critical hotspots are Ticud, Baldoza and San Isidro in La Paz district; Zamora Melliza, Veterans Village, Rizal Pala-Pala I and Muelle Loney in the City Proper district; Navais in Mandurriao district; and Sooc in Arevalo district.
Ravena said the 25 barangays under close monitoring were identified through the City Disaster Risk Assessment (CIDRA) as highly vulnerable to water scarcity during prolonged dry conditions.
“Based on our CIDRA assessment, these are highly vulnerable to supply disruption, especially during prolonged dry conditions caused by El Niño,” he said.
Ravena noted that most of the vulnerable barangays are situated in waterfront and low-lying areas where water supply systems are more susceptible to disruption and groundwater depletion during the dry season.
City officials warned that shortages could worsen further if dry conditions persist in the coming weeks, prompting renewed calls for water conservation and immediate reporting of supply interruptions./PN
