MIWD water pipes ‘tampered’

BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA

ILOILO City – Metro Iloilo Water District’s (MIWD) distribution pipes in a posh subdivision may have been tampered.

According to OIC general manager Amarylis Josephine Castro, MIWD has no agreement whatsoever with First Peak Resources and Technologies, Inc. (FPRTI) to supply Savannah Glen Subdivision Phases C and D with water.

Castro issued the clarification after homeowners complained of double billing – from MIWD and FPRTI.

Savannah’s Glen C and Glen D have 142 and 131 active concessionaires, respectively.

According to Castro, FPRTI is a utility company of Savannah, and from what she had gathered, it started to “dry run” their water supply to the subdivision on the later part of February this year.

MIWD’s water supply to the subdivision was cutoff without the water district knowing it, Castro added.

She warned FPRTI: “Tampering of our lines and infusing water within our water system are all illegal acts.”

The OIC general manager said FPRTI is also encroaching on MIWD’s franchise area.

According to Castro, on February 17, FPRTI operations manager Jasmin Flor Alviola wrote then MIWD OIC general manager, Engr. Edgar Calasara about their plan to shut down MIWD’s pipes going to the subdivision then tap existing pipelines to their own facilities.

Castro said FPRTI cited as reason the water concerns of homeowners; residents were allegedly complaining of inadequate water supply and wanted to terminate their contracts with MIWD.

But according to Castro, Calasara made it clear to FPRTI that the entire water system of the subdivision had already been turned over to MIWD, thus the water district had the sole right to run the water system there.

Castro said MIWD never entered into any water supply agreement with FPRTI.

“There is no Memorandum of Agreement as claimed,” she stressed, and the MIWD Board of Directors had not authorized anybody to enter into such agreement.

Castro said she will demand an explanation from FPRTI.

“Once there is no action from their end, we will refer it to our legal counsel for actions necessary,” Castro said./PN