Water woes hit Carmen

CEBU, Philippines — The Municipality of Carmen, a major source of bulk water for Metro Cebu, is ironically grappling with water supply shortages in its own community, prompting the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) to call for a review of the water system's operations and possible interventions.

Board Member Mike Villamor highlighted the irony during yesterday's budget hearing, noting that while Carmen supplies water to other localities, some of its own residents continue to experience inadequate or intermittent service.

Villamor asked Engineer Aldrin Barade, head of the Cebu Provincial Inter-LGU Waterworks Systems Office (CPIWSO), to convene a committee meeting to examine the distribution problems and identify possible solutions.

"As of now, dili gihapon moagas ang tanan sa atong Phase 1," Villamor said, noting that not all areas covered by the project's first phase were receiving a steady water supply.

He also questioned the arrangement between the provincial government and Cebu Manila Water Development Inc. (CMWD), particularly the reported non-payment for water supplied to the system and the absence of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) formalizing the arrangement.

"Pag-adto sa CMWD, wa pa sila kabayri. Unya moingon sad ang province nga ngano mobayad man mi nga wala man tay MOA," Villamor recounted.

He said the conflicting positions on payment and the lack of a formal agreement must be clarified to prevent further complications in the system's operations.

Villamor cited continuing supply problems in several areas, including Barangay Baring, where water pressure had improved after the system was turned over but had since weakened again.

"Didto nata nag-turn over ta para mosaka sa Barangay Baring, karon hinay na sad. Ang West moagas usahay dili. Ang East samot na," he said.

He also raised concerns over reports that some consumers had installed pumps to draw water, potentially reducing the supply reaching other households.

"So unsaon man ni sa uban, dili na moagas sa uban?" Villamor asked, stressing that the system is managed by the provincial government's waterworks office, not the local government unit (LGU).

He said the situation was especially concerning with the looming El Niño, which could further worsen water shortages.

"Kay we are supplying so much sa Cebu, unya ang Carmen minus man ang supply," he said.

Villamor added that residents were questioning why their municipality continued to experience shortages despite supplying water to other areas.

He urged the CPIWSO to determine when the remaining areas under the project's first and second phases could receive water, particularly Barangays Luyang, Puente, Dawis Sur and Dawis Norte.

Barade acknowledged the problems, identifying inadequate water pressure and insufficient supply from CMWD as the system's two main concerns.

He said the pressure problem had been addressed through the use of a water tank, which improved water flow in areas previously experiencing weak pressure.

"For the pressure, nasulbad ni nato by utilizing the tank. So pag-operate nato sa tanke, ni-improve siya," Barade said.

However, he said increasing the volume of water supplied by CMWD remains the priority in addressing the shortage.

Barade said the provincial government had formally requested a quotation from CMWD to establish the terms for purchasing additional water.

The quotation would help formalize the procurement arrangement, finalize the MOA and enable the province to secure additional supply for Carmen.

He also expressed willingness to meet with board members during a committee hearing to discuss Villamor's concerns and explore possible solutions.

Villamor, meanwhile, sought a detailed financial report on the system's operations, including total collections and the accounts of consumers with unpaid water bills.

He said the information would help the provincial board determine whether the current management arrangement was financially sustainable or whether the system should eventually be turned over to the LGU if the province could no longer manage it effectively.

"Maka-provide ka namo pila naman ang collection, kinsa pay wa kabayad, so that we will know kung sustainable ba ni ang pag-manage ninyo sa Carmen," Villamor said.

He proposed taking up the concerns, including the system's financial standing, water distribution and management responsibilities, in a committee hearing.

The Carmen Bulk Water Supply Project sources water from the Luyang River in Carmen, processes it and distributes it as bulk water to areas within Metro Cebu.-  FPL (CEBU NEWS)