By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff reporter
Batac City—Batac Water District’s (BWD) Maria Dona Sagun admitted that this city will experience low pressure on water distribution this summer season.
“Nakapsot met lang ketdi ta ana ngarud ket summer panagtikag ken saan met nga tay totally nga 24 hours nga awan pulos danum,” Ms. Sagun said.
She said elevated areas will really experience no water distribution and may only become available during off-peak hours.
However, she assured that these experiences would only last this summer until their deep wells store more water which would then normalize water pressure conditions in this city.“Ta no nasapa nga umay itu tudo, nasap-sapan to met laeng nga agsubli tay dati nga kaadda iti supply iti danum,” she said.
Tie up with Prime Water
In creating a partnership with Prime Water only last December, Ms. Sagun clarified that the existing low-pressure conditions today does not have any effect on the partnership.
She stressed that the partnership entails Prime Water will drill deep water wells for BWD’s use for about a year.
Ms. Sagun added that BWD’s tie-up with Prime Water is a “big help” for both the water district and its concessionaires in this city since BWD cannot afford to implement big expansion projects that translates to better services.
She further disclosed that BWD currently services only 14% of all Batac households. She is hopeful that BWD will increase this once their Prime Water tie-up project is completed.
For the first five years of the partnership, Prime Water will establish source of water development including drilling of wells, more water tanks and replacement of almost two kilometers old pipelines at the heart of this city.
With this development, Ms. Sagun said Prime Water will shoulder the 12 percent VAT for all the water concessionaires for the first year.
“Ditoy tayon to madlaw iti rate impact na inton after one year,” she said.
Availability of water hydrants
Ms. Sagun also announced that water fire hydrants in the city are always available especially in case of fire and other emergencies.
She said fire trucks are all welcome to any of the water hydrants here at poblacion area but they have to inform BWD first. BWD needs to ascertain the amount of water withdrawn from fire hydrants as they also need to report this to the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) and the National Water Resources Board (NWRB). This will then be considered as “unaccounted water” or “non-revenue water”.
“Saan mi nga iparit ngem masapul kuma nga adda kami kuma no agala da ken ipakada da tapnu ammu mi no manu iti innala da,” she explained.
BJMP water supply
As with the fire hydrants, Ms. Sagun said they also give the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) water supply.
Water supply has long been a problem at the Batac BJMP. They have long relied on a deep well but this cannot suppl all their water needs.
Ms. Sagun said BJMP already requested for water connection at their building but it needs an estimated 6 kilometers of pipelines from the existing source of water. This costs from PHP8 to PHP10 million in funding.
However, city jail warden Antonio Sapaden said in an earlier interview that the problem has already reached the Office of the President with the help of the BWD with respect on the program of works (POW).
If this is granted, Ms. Sagun said that a lot of households and residential houses will also be benefitted, especially those along the national highway.