BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – The City Council urged Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) to take immediate and specific actions to address the ongoing issue of insufficient water supply.
Councilor Candice Magdalane Tupas raised the issue during a privileged speech on Wednesday, reflecting urgency from residents and local leaders regarding the long-standing water shortage.
She called for concrete solutions and better services from MPIW to alleviate the water crisis affecting both the metropolis and nearby towns.
Tupas said she would also introduce a resolution asking MPIW to explain the need to boil water.
She insisted that the firm is mandated to supply safe potable drinking water to consumers in Iloilo City.
In a statement, MPIW recently announced the preventive maintenance conducted by FloWater Resources Inc., one of its bulk water suppliers, from October 14-20 has reduced water supply and decreased pressure throughout the water distribution system.
This reduction in pressure may cause issues such as back pressure, back siphonage, or the movement of external water into the distribution system through cracks, breaks, or joints in the pipes.
As a precautionary measure, MPIW has advised customers in the affected areas to boil their water before drinking or cooking it. The water utility firm emphasized that boiling the water would neutralize any potential contaminants that may have entered the system, helping to protect public health during this period of supply disruption.
“Water should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil for one (1) minute and then cooled before using. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. Boiling water is a standard procedure,” the MPIW advisory read.
After several tests, the water utility said that water from FloWater has successfully passed the Philippine National Standards for drinking water./PN
