Barangays terminate water deliveries as supply improves

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

Several barangays in Iloilo City have requested the cancellation of water deliveries from the city government in the past days, citing an excess of stored water in static tanks.

The recent rains have also improved the water supply, easing the El Niño-induced shortages.

Engineer Neil Ravena, head of the General Services Office (GSO) and City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), explained that improving supply, particularly from distributor Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW), is the reason for the cancellation.

Water is now flowing from distribution pipes, recent rains have made it difficult for residents to collect water, and water tankers are unable to access certain areas where static tanks are placed due to narrow and unpaved roads, Ravena told Aksyon Radyo-Iloilo.

Ravena added that the city government will send teams to barangays to check the condition of wells and assess water flow from distribution utilities.

He noted an overall improvement in water supply following the recent rains.

Most cancellation requests came from barangays in Jaro and La Paz, while residents in the City Proper continue to heavily rely on city-delivered water, according to Ravena.

Over the past three weeks, the city government has delivered more than 3 million liters of water to various barangays. This initiative began after the city declared a state of calamity due to the El Niño phenomenon.

MPIW, which is part of the Bulig Tubig program, also reported cancellations from some of its commercial customers who previously requested tanker deliveries but now have sufficient water from their taps.

In a report, MPIW said has contributed significantly to the Bulig Tubig sa Syudad Program, delivering almost 850,000 liters of water to Iloilo City.

MPIW was assigned to deliver water to the Molo and Arevalo Districts, which constitute 30% of the total target of the Bulig Tubig Program.

Despite being required to deliver 111,900 liters, MPIW committed 150,000 liters and has surpassed this, delivering 850,000 liters to date.

Due to an increase in water supply production from its Bulk Water Suppliers, MPIW reverted to a daily water supply schedule scheme on May 30.

The alternate water supply schedule for Iloilo City, implemented due to the low water supply production during the El Niño phenomenon, has been suspended. MPIW’s customers in Iloilo City can now experience longer water availability.

Currently, the available water supply of MPIW has significantly improved to 80 million liters per day (MLD), exceeding the normal water demand of its customers.

As part of its short-, medium- and long-term strategies, MPIW has embarked on several projects aimed at reducing water losses and securing sustainable sources.

The short-term strategy includes recovery of 15 MLD through pipe rehabilitations and the use of advanced technologies such as Sahara Mobile Leak Detection, Tyfo-Fibre Wrap Technology, and Data Loggers.

The development of a 60.5 MLD desalination plant, which began pre-development in January 2024, is part of the medium-term plan, while securing sustainable water sources within the Visayas region for the long term.