MIWD rehabilitation program continues
Mayor Jerry P. Treņas tastes the water from the
newly installed water supply system in Brgy. Sooc,
Arevalo. The water supply system is a joint project
of the Metro Iloilo Water District and the city
government of Iloilo.
Photo courtesy of Arnold Almacen
Thousands of Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) concessionaires in the towns of Maasin and Cabatuan can expect better quality potable water after yesterday's inauguration of the rapid sand filter facility. The installation of the rapid sand filter facility is part of the water district's P207 million rehabilitation program.
MIWD Interim Manager Edwin Reyes said a rapid sand filter is a water treatment plant facility. It is located in Maasin. Its installation will improve the quality of water distributed in the two towns.
The P207 million rehabilitation program includes replacement of old and rustic pipes and purchase of facility or equipment for the water district's improvement of service to its consumers.
There is an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 water consumers in the municipality of Maasin and Cabatuan. For the past years, consumers have been complaining of the turbid water coming out of their faucets.
Meanwhile, the P3 million potable water system in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo was also inaugurated Tuesday. The inauguration was attended by Reyes, Mayor Jerry Treñas and other officials of the MIWD. The water system is a joint project of the MIWD and the city government.
The city gave a counterpart of P2 million while MIWD gave P1 million. The water system can serve some 2,000 households in Sooc which is a relocation site of the city government.
According to Reyes, the MIWD has designed an affordable package program for the residents to avail of legal water connection. The water district came up with a light paying scheme for the applicants. The applicants can pay in a staggered basis the water application fee which is P2,500+. The P2,500+ is payable for six months.
He said they can pay part of the P2,500+ when they applied. As additional privilege, there will be an on-site processing of applications or residents can process their applications right in their barangay. MIWD personnel will be stationed in Sooc to accept all their applications. They do not have to go to the MIWD office in Bonifacio Drive.
The easy payment scheme and access for potable water supply will reduce the illegal connections in the MIWD service areas. In Iloilo City, there is an estimated 20,000 illegal water connections. This contributes to the water district's losses.