BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – Twenty-five barangays here are now affected by the drought.
“The severity of the situation widened,” said Engr. Neil Ravena, head of the city government’s General Services Office (GSO) and also the Logistics Cluster chief of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC).
The CDRRMC recommended placing this metropolis under a state of calamity due to water shortage caused by the drought spell spawned by the El Niño phenomenon.
Mayor Jerry Treñas, who also heads CDRRMC, yesterday approved the council’s recommendation to access emergency funds and resources to address the water scarcity.
Ravena said data from their technical team showed that “the affected population almost reached 30 percent”, more than enough to declare a state of calamity.
The council also recommended P12-million initial funding to help address the water shortage.
Ravena said the state weather bureau projected that rainfall will still be below normal; hence, the declaration of calamity is urgent.
The CDRRMC is closely coordinating with the Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) and the Balibago Waterworks System, Inc. for the distribution of water to the affected barangays.
Data from the council showed that some 23,230 individuals from various districts in the city have been affected by the El Niño phenomenon.
The hot weather spawned by the drought spell triggered below-normal rainfall that resulted in the rapid decline of water level in Maasin Dam, the main raw water source of the water utility.
In an advisory posted on its social media page, the MPIW said the water level in Maasin Dam has decreased to 93.76 meters above sea level (ASL) from 93.80 meters due to extreme heat triggered by the El Niño phenomenon.
The water utility’s total bulk water supply is at a “critical level” at 64.637 million liters per day (MLD). The water utility company earlier announced it is on “heightened alert” after the water level in Maasin Dam continues to decline rapidly.
The water utility remains on heightened alert despite the additional 10 million liters per day from one of its bulk water suppliers.
With the water demand during the drought spell, MPIW said the additional water supply from its bulk suppliers will help stabilize the water supply production to an average of 70-73 million liters per day for its 48,000 service connections.
The water utility’s bulk water suppliers source their raw water from the Tigum, Jalaur, and Againan Rivers.
MPIW has allocated about P1 billion for the renewal and rehabilitation of its pipe networks under its service areas.
The pipe upgrades and rehabilitation will reduce water losses due to leaks, hence, an increase in water supply for consumers, Josue stressed.
Pipe leaks, if not repaired, cause water losses, resulting in low water pressure and service water interruptions across the city.
These leakages occur due to many factors, such as age and location of the pipe, rapid temperature changes, high water pressure, clogged lines, ground and soil movement, and loose water connectors or broken pipes./PN
