Concessionaires of Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) have been warned of continued water service interruptions as it experiences a “severe water supply shortage” after the raw water volume of its bulk water suppliers has reached “critically low levels.”
The MPIW serves seven districts of Iloilo City and the municipalities of Oton, Sta. Barbara, Cabatuan, Maasin, San Miguel, Pavia, and Leganes.
“Our water supply production level has decreased from 57.142 to 56.200 MLD (million liters per day), significantly dipping below the critical level,” it said in a statement on Tuesday, May 21.
The MPIW said the water levels in the Aganan, Maasin, Jalaur, and Tigum rivers are “plummeting at an alarming rate” due to the El Niño phenomenon.
“The prolonged dry spell and rising temperatures have led to reduced bulk water production. Consequently, our bulk water suppliers are only able to deliver an average of 60 MLD to MPIW, way below the critical level threshold,” the statement said.
The MPIW apologized to the city government and concessionaires, noting that measures to address the constraint, including the rollout of a major project, are being implemented to significantly reduce water losses.
These include pipe rehabilitation, the use of technology such as the Sahara Mobile Leak Detection, and Tyfo-Fibre Wrap Technology; the development of a desalination plant, which began pre-development works in January; and securing other sustainable water sources in the Visayas.Perla Lena/PNA
