ILOILO City – Water loss or non-revenue water (NRW) remains a problem for the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD).
According to Rolixto Jodieres Jr., general manager, they are still recording an estimated 50 percent water loss in their daily production due to pipe leakages and pilferage.
Jodieres told Panay News this has not been reduced yet because there were delays in their improvement projects due to restrictions brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
The bulk of the work such as the laying of new pipes started only in December 2020. Construction works are underway in barangays Bakhaw in Mandurriao district and Lanit in Jaro, among others.
In Bakhaw, work is expected to be completed by May this year.
Jodieres said MIWD is incurring 74 percent water loss daily in Bakhaw, citing illegal connection or pilferage and leakages. They target to reduce it to 10 percent once the project is done.
“By June, makita naton ang reduction sang water loss,” said Jodieres.
This project is part of the MIWD and Metro Pacific Water (MPW) P12.25-billion 25-year joint venture for the rehabilitation, expansion and improvement of the water district’s distribution system and wastewater management facilities inked in July 2019.
The venture starts with the upgrading of MIWD’s existing facilities and building new infrastructure.
Under the multi-billion project, MIWD aims to expand its service coverage and deliver safe and potable water to 1.4 million people in the next 25 years.
WATER SUPPLY FROM JRMP II EYED
The MIWD is currently working on another proposed project to boost its water supply.
They are targeting to access water from the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project II (JRMP II) through an agreement/collaboration with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
To note, JRMP II aims to provide not only a year-round irrigation to various municipalities in Iloilo province and city but also domestic water supply. It is set to be operational by 2023.
Jodieres said the water district aims to secure 86,400 cubic meters of water per day from the Jalaur dam.
He said it will be a significant addition to the current 80,000-cubic meter per day supply of the water district.
“Currently, 22.61 percent lang ang amon coverage. With the additional supply, daku ni sia nga bagay kon mag doble ang amon supply,” Jodieres added.
Once pushed through, Jodieres said they will construct a plant in Cabatuan, Iloilo as the delivery point where they can access to the open tunnel of the Jalaur dam that will traverse from Calinog to Tigbauan towns.
“Kon mag okay na ‘na ma-start na kami sang amon pre-construction activity like procurement sang duta nga patindugan sang planta, detailed engineering design, among others. Ma-start kami upon signing an agreement with NIA,” said Jodieres.
Their proposal has already been endorsed by the NIA Western Visayas to its central office./PN
