BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – FLO Water has expressed willingness to expand its facilities to better serve the growing water demands in Iloilo City and its surrounding areas.
FLO Water, a major supplier of bulk water to Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW), noted that such expansion is aimed at enhancing its capacity to address water shortage and ensure the water supply of businesses and residents in the city and province of Iloilo.
It has been noted in a survey conducted 15 years ago that the water requirement in Metro Iloilo Water District’s (MIWD) service area was 170,000 cubic meters or 170 million liters per day (MLD). Since then the city has progressed with malls, hospitals, restaurants, subdivisions, condominiums, business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, etc. It would be safe to say that the present need of water is estimated to be between 220,000-250,000 cubic meters per day simply to meet the daily requirement of the service area.
“If MPIW is willing to accept additional volume, FLO Water is willing to invest in plant expansion,” read the statement issued by the firm owned by businessman Rogelio Florete Sr.
The firm also voiced concern about the old and dilapidated pipes of MPIW, which they said remained unrepaired, thus resulting in high Non-Revenue Water (NRW), which means water that has been produced and is “wasted” before it reaches the customer.
“FLO Water has expressed willingness to supply additional volume of water to Iloilo City which MPIW is reluctant to accept due to their high NRW. If the city under the leadership of Mayor Jerry Treñas wants to attract more investors, MPIW has to urgently address the chronic shortage of water,” said FLO Water in a statement.
Currently, FLO Water supplies 30 million liters daily (MLD) plus 10 million liters of potable water donated to the Iloilo City Government to alleviate the serious need of potable water in various barangays due to high heat temperatures.
FLO Water sources its surface water from the Jalaur River, which has also been affected by the drought spell and excessive and indiscriminate quarry operations.
However due to the “indigenous system” being adopted, FLO Water stressed it has always met its volume commitment.
“Since the first day of operation, FLO Water has never been found short of its commitment. This means even during floods and El Niño, FLO Water continuously meets its commitment to either MIWD or MPIW,” FLO Water said.
Likewise, FLO Water clarified it does not intend to compete in the distribution of potable water with MPIW.
FLO Water reiterated its call to MPIW to fulfill its commitment to repair its old, rotten, worn-out, dilapidated pipes which has caused deterioration of economic activities in the city and nearby municipalities due to shortage of water.
It has been more than four years since their Joint Venture Agreement with MIWD that mandated MPIW to rehabilitate and improve the distribution system, but there has been no significant improvement.
This present proposal carries with it for FLO Water to undertake construction of a new Water Treatment Plant and to lay down an additional eight kilometers of water pipes including two bridge crossings to discharge potable water to MPIW waterline in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo./PN
