BACOLOD City – The major water source for San Carlos City, Negros Occidental was severely damaged due to flooding caused by heavy rains on Sunday, February 23.
Mayor Renato Gustilo confirmed that the intake water system of the Medina Water Treatment Plant was compromised, leading to water supply disruptions for several subdivisions in the city.
Following this, nearly 4,000 households — approximately 38% to 40% of the total 10,500 served by the Medina facility — are currently experiencing “low pressure to no water.”
“Bale 38 to 40 percent ang affected nga households, approximately 4,000 consumers or households,” said Joe Recalex Alingasa, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).
City engineers immediately assessed the situation and estimated that repairs could take up to a week, but they target to restore service within three to four days.
“Due to downfall of rain, nagbaha. Sa bukid naghalin ang tubig… So nag-overflow man siya sa barangays 5 and 6. Dali lang man ang pagbaha. Naka-cleanup naman. Except ang intake water sa Medina, so cut off subong ang water source sa Medina. Ang hambal sang engineer one week ang restoration. Kung paningkamuton, ma-restore ta. Within three to four days maka-resume na kita. Temporarily ma-install para sa intake water para maka-operate ang system,” Mayor Gustilo said.
He added that a separate water supply facility serves the city proper, minimizing the impact in the said area.
To address the immediate needs of affected residents, the CDRRMO and the Bureau of Fire Protection deployed water tankers to provide essential water supplies during this crisis.
Water rationing is currently being implemented in Metroville, Fatima Village, Rovirih Heights, Rita Homes Subdivision, Algers Subdivision, Sancaville Subdivision, Sitio Medina, Sitio Cotcot, and Sitio Santo Rosario.
Additionally, residents in these areas will have access to water through their service connections during off-peak hours from 12 midnight to 5 a.m. daily.
The city’s Waterworks Department advised consumers to take necessary precautions to store water and manage usage efficiently during this period./PN
