BAGUIO CITY – with the growing demand for water in this mountain resort, the city government is banking on the positive outcome of the feasibility study for a bulk water project here.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan during the weekly ugnayan presser stressed the bulk water supply project can be a long term solution to address water shortages in the future if demand for water continue to increase.
Presently, the city needs more or less 60,000 cubic meters of water daily while the Baguio Water District (BWD) can only distribute 40,000 cubic meters daily so the need for rationing and scheduling.
BWD is serving 122 barangays for its water needs while Barangays Kias and Fort Del Pilar having their own water system, Scout Barrio is being supplied by Camp John Hay and barangays Apugan-Loakan, Atok Trail, Lucnab and Happy Hollow deriving their water supply from spring sources and private delivery trucks.
As per records, BWD has 65 Pumping stations, 57 deepwells and 5 spring sources while it has 36,949 active connections as of April, 2014.
It can be recalled that 3 private firms proposed bulk water project namely Maynilad Water Services, Incorporated (Maynilad), Ayala-led Manila Water Company, and Prime Water Infrastructure Corporation.
Domogan said,” he remains positive that the bulk water project can be achieved citing its benefits not only for the city but for the BLISTT area.”
“We are very willing to extend assistance in identifying bulk water supply sources to those who are willing to pursue the bulk water project and I hope that they already have the results of the feasibility study for our appreciation,” he said.
“We have to re-evaluate and revisit the bulk water supply project, this is very important to secure our source of water for the future,” he stressed.
With the increasing population of the city, it is estimated that by 2022, the water demand can reach 77,804 cubic meter per day with a 379,293 projected population./Paul Rillorta
