Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) assured its service areas that the supply is “still in a good position.”

“As of right now, our water supply is still normal, specifically coming from our bulk water supplier. In the meantime, our supply is stable,” engineer Jedd Roxas, MPIW head of operations, said Monday, March 4,in a follow-up interview following a hearing called by the committee on energy and public utilities of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council).

He said that the result of their monitoring of raw water sources did not show the effects of the El Niño.

MPIW supplies water to 40,000 to 48,000 households in Iloilo City and seven municipalities in the province.

In Iloilo City alone, the water supplier provides around 25 to 30 million liters per day (MLD).

However, while there is no problem with the source right now, they have issues with the delivery because of problems with pipes.

“We have physical limitations on our very old pipelines. That is why we are currently implementing water supply rotation,” he added.

The districts of La Paz, Lapuz, City Proper, Molo, and Arevalo are among those supplied on a certain schedule.

Jaro and Mandurriao districts have improved supply during the past two years.

Meanwhile, he said one major preparation they are doing for El Niño is the detection activities using the Sahara mobile leak detection system with its sister company Maynilad.

“It’s intended to recover a significant volume of our losses. That’s around 12MLD of losses that once we recover within the next two to three month period, hopefully, we are also going to bring to the far end areas of Iloilo City,” he said.

A pre-inspection will be conducted within the week, and they expect to complete the project by the end of April or mid-May.

In a related development, the city government said it is open to declare a state of calamity should it merit its declaration.

“Once certain factors come in we have no choice but to declare a state of calamity. At the moment, there is no need, but if certain factors come in, we will declare,” said Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas in a press conference on Monday.

Treñas said the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office are checking the availability of shallow wells in the barangays.

He said the General Services Office already reported that there is no more water available for plazas and at the nursery in Barangay Caingin.

The Metro Pacific Iloilo Water, which supplies around 17,000 households in the city, has an ongoing negotiation with its bulk supplier Flowater.

“If it cannot be resolved it will result in limited water supply. We have no choice but to declare a state of calamity,” he added.Perla Lena/PNA