ISAWAD reveals 20% drop in water supply due to El Niño
By Rene V. Carbayas
ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Feb 29 (PIA) – Water supply production in this
city dropped by 20 percent according to the city’s water district in a radio
interview Wednesday.
The Isabela City Water District (ISAWAD) revealed that water production dropped
and that reduction may continue because of the coming summer period. With this,
the water district may enforce a reduction of water rationing from 4 to 2
hours.
As of latest report, ISAWAD Division Manager for Administrative and
General Services Carla Shane Patega said that during the first two weeks of
January, they already experienced 20 percent drop in water supply. They are
projecting another 20 percent drop in the coming months.
“Last December, the water district issued notice regarding the reduction
of water rationing due to El Niño after PAGASA issued their advisory predicting
that we’ll be experiencing the El Niño phenomenon from December 2015 to
mid-year of 2016,” Patega said.
“If we’ve experienced dry-spells from December to January, by February to
March, we will experience severe drought. There
will be an improvement by April to May though,” Patega added.
Moreover, Patega stressed that in as much as they would like to normalize
the water rationing in the city, the El Niño is a natural phenomenon which they
don’t have control.
“We can only distribute as much as what we can collect,” said Patega.
The water district has been receiving complaints from its concessionaires
over poor implementation for water rationing as some complained that ISAWAD do
not follow the schedule. Concessionaires also went to the social media to
express their rant and dissatisfaction over the services of ISAWAD.
“Ours is a gravity system. Since we have a ragged terrain-downward, we
cannot expect the same pressure all the time,” Engr. Aniceto Evardo, Engineering and Construction Division head
explained.
He further said that if the water production did not reach its normal
level, they have to adjust the valves for them to be able to distribute to the
highland areas of the city. “This is also the reason why they came up with a
scheduling arrangement because they can not distribute water to all of their
concessionaires at the same time,” Evardo said, adding that the water level
situation is different daily so they also respond daily.
Patega also clarified about complaints regarding unannounced shifting of
water schedule.
“When we prepare our water rationing notice, this is based on production
at that time. Production varies everyday, every hour. Meaning, water production
is always inconsistent. That is why we ask for considerations and understanding
from the concessionaires. It is what makes issuing notices difficult,” Patega said.
In addition, since concessionaires will observe frequent delays in their
water rationing schedule starting next month, it must be understood that it is
due to the system mechanism in their respective area.
“Once we release the water from our source it will take time and this
creates vacuum,” said Evardo expounded.
On the other hand, effective February, the water district Board approved
the suspension of acceptance of new connection application. All fresh-water
resorts in the city has been closed and will not open until water production
normalizes.
As of 2015, the water demand in Isabela City reached 2,675,456 cu/m
catering about 8,000 concessionaires with an average of 5-6 members per
household, i.e., 27 cu/m or 135 drums of water consumption per residence in a
month.
Furthermore, ISAWAD encouraged everyone to refer immediately to them any
violation on illegal water connection and direct-line pumping as it is
punishable by law under the R.A. 8041 or the Water Crisis Act.
ISAWAD also campaigns for water conservation. They encouraged their concessionaires to
utilize the reuse, reduce and recycle scheme to manage water consumption,
consequently, lowering their bills, because every drop of water counts. (Angela
B. Lazaro)
