ILOILO City – The newly-constructed rainwater detention facility in La Paz plaza has proven its purpose this dry season especially in sustaining the flowers and other plants maintained by the city government.
Engr. Neil Ravena, City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) head, said with the high heat index experienced in Iloilo this month, they have to double the amount of water used in watering the plants in various city’s landscape.
From two cubic meters, he said CENRO is now using five cubic meters daily or six trips of water tanker daily.
“Ang concern ta gid subong ang mga public plazas ta kay bag-o renovate kag may mga landscape materials kita like mga ornamental plants, so naga-double time kami. Nagapasalamat kami kay Mayor (Jerry) Treñas kay gin-assist ‘ya gid kami sa water pumps,” said Ravena.
The La Paz detention tank, which was constructed late last year, has already stored 1,300 cubic meters of water, which according to Ravena is enough to sustain the watering requirement of the city for more than two months.
Aside from the water detention facility, Ravena noted the city also has shallow wells in some of the plazas which can be used as alternative in watering the plants.
He said they are also set to adjust the water time to as early as 6 a.m. and after 5 p.m. so that the water can be absorbed well by the plants.
“Ang gina-alalayan ta gid ang esplanade kag plaza sang Molo kag ang Plaza Libertad. So ang tanan nga tubig nga ginagamit ta, ginakuha sa detention tank sa La Paz plaza,” said Ravena.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration-Iloilo, the highest temperature or heat index recorded in the city within March this month was 41 degrees Celcius./PN
