MIWD board works on add’l source of water
The Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) Board of Directors are working on the plan to source out additional water supply for its Iloilo consumers by buying from a bulk supplier.
Engr. Warren Palermo, MIWD Operations chief, said the proposal is for board approval as the Terms of Reference and the contract have been firmed up and scheduled for bidding within six months.
Palermo said if this is realized, MIWD will generate 20,000 cubic meters of water per day and will be able to serve an additional 20,000 consumers.
He said MIWD at present produces a break even supply of 33,000 cubic meters per day, instead of the expected 45,000 because of the 30-40 percent non-revenue or technical and physical losses.
Palermo said physical losses are brought about by faulty lines which are not yet rehabilitated, while the technical losses come from faulty water meters.
He said they have already rehabilitated almost all systems except that of the railway in Lapuz, Iloilo City, because of the difficulty in location.
Palermo added that they were not able to retrieve 100 percent of system pressure as before Typhoon Frank because of the changes in the water flow from Maasin watershed, also affecting the quality of water because of the heavy siltation.
He further said the remedial measures they are trying to do are for long term effects that necessitates also rehabilitation of the watershed.
For doing draining alone three to four times daily, Palermo said, MIWD’s water supply from the reservoir already suffers from 50-70 percent losses.
In related reports, The UN Development Programme estimated as of 2008, that there are still more than 10 million Filipinos with no access to safe drinking water.
In its latest monitoring report, the UN believes the country has a high probability of reducing the number of population without access to safe drinking water, as it is among the 10-point agenda of the Arroyo administration. (PIA6/ESS)