18 of 180 Iloilo villages suffer from water shortage

ILOILO CITY—Thousands of residents in at least 18 of 180 barangays in this city have been suffering from water shortage, according to officials.

Councilor Roberto Divinagracia, head of the city’s Association of Barangay Captains, said residents and village officials were experiencing water shortage because of lack of supply from the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD).

The water shortage is most felt in the city proper and Molo district, he said.

Le Jayme Jalbuena, MIWD general manager, said some areas have been suffering water shortage because of supply problems, but the problem wasn’t widespread.

The MIWD main water source is the Tigum River in Maasin town, 29.5 kilometers northwest of this city. It also draws water from deep wells in in Oton and San Miguel.

Water production reaches 30,000 cubic meters daily, below the 31,000 cu m requirement. The shortage is being compounded by systems losses and illegal connections which reduces supply by 30 to 38 percent, Jalbuena said.

“Iloilo City is at the end point of our supply system so the water supply does not reach certain areas especially during peak consumption,” he said.

MIWD provides water supply to 31,000 consumers in Iloilo City and the towns of Oton, Pavia, Sta. Barbara, Cabatuan, Maasin and San Miguel.

MIWD has been augmenting supply by delivering water directly to communities suffering from the shortage.

Jalbuena said more water would soon be available. MIWD signed a 10-year contract with private suppliers to provide an additional 25,000 cu m of water.