MPIW Urges Boiling Water Amid Contamination Concerns

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) has advised customers to boil their water before using it for drinking or cooking due to concerns about potential contamination.

The advisory follows MPIW’s warning that preventive maintenance at Flo Water Resources could cause back pressure and back-siphonage.

These conditions may allow contaminants to enter the water supply through cracks or pipe joints.

Boiling is a precautionary measure to ensure water safety until further tests confirm whether contamination is present.

“Water should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil for one minute and then cooled before use. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water,” the company said.

MPIW serves Iloilo City and the towns of Oton, Sta. Barbara, Cabatuan, Maasin, San Miguel, Pavia, and Leganes.

Several customers have already reported cloudy or discolored water from their taps.

On Sunday morning, MPIW announced that initial water samples from Flo Water met the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water set by the Department of Health.

However, additional testing is being conducted to ensure customer safety as the water supply has been reintroduced into the MPIW pipeline.

MPIW stated that water service will resume gradually in affected areas.

“Our team is performing valving and network configuration to ensure a smooth restoration process,” the company added.

Since October 14, MPIW has deployed 30 water tankers, completing over 100 trips daily to 150 injection points across Iloilo as part of its network restoration efforts.