40 tankers used to send water

CEBU, Philippines — About 40 water tankers and fire trucks are available to distribute water to the identified 19,800 households in Cebu City that are affected by El Niño.

Yesterday, Councilor David Tumulak called a meeting with the concerned agencies to address the water shortage problem that the city is experiencing due to the El Niño phenomenon.

The water tankers and fire trucks came from Bureau of Fire Protection, Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), Department of Public Services, and barangay fire brigade.

These offices will also help in the distribution of water supply to the affected residential areas. Their source of supply is from MCWD and Mactan Rock - The Water Management and Solutions Company.

Based on the data from MCWD, the affected areas are Banawa, Calamba, Parian, Kamagayan, Carreta, Bulacao, Mambaling, Poblacion Pardo, Sambag 1, Sambag 2, B. Rodriguez, Day-as, San Antonio, Capitol Site, Kamputhaw, Cogon Pardo, San Nicolas Proper, and others.

Tumulak said the water distribution schedule to the affected areas is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. because they cannot deliver it during peak hours.

“We should also consider the traffic, we do not want nga atong 40 trucks nga naa sa dalan during peak hours, dili ta kahatod, ma-delay ang pag abot sa water tankers if heavy traffic,” he said.

Tumulak asked the public to call the Cebu City Command Control Center (C3) so that the distribution will be systematic by assigning specific office for it.

“Hangyo lang ta sa mga tawo og unsa ang scheduled time at least one hour before sa arrival sa tankers, nakalinya na sila,” Tumulak said.

The water rationing is only intended for households, commercial buildings are not included. Tumulak asked the commercial owners to buy water from private water companies.

Tumulak said if the public plans to utilize the water for drinking, they should boil it since it is not safe for drinking.

“To use for drinking, ipa-boil lang gyud nila. It’s not safe for drinking, magamit sa panglaba, pagpanghugas and kaligo,” he said.

MCWD Spokesperson Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara said with the new system on the water distribution that they are implementing, duplication of supplies will be avoided.

“Ang nahitabo sa past few weeks, ni-react lang ta sa mga request of course, duna’y  mga duplication sa truck  nga gi-deploy or naa’y mga gi-deliveran na,” she said.

BFP, city’s disaster team and other offices were informed where they can get water for the affected households.

“Nagpasalamat ta sa customers nga nisabot, nisawod og tubig sa gipang-identify nga oras. Ang nahitabo man gud karon, people don’t know kanus-a sila mosawod. Naa’y nireklamo nga dili sila uyon kay beyond 10 a.m. man ang schedule kay we cannot supply them during the time nga taas ang demand,” Kara said.

The dry spell affected the Buhisan Dam, since it completely dried up and other water sources have decreased in production. (FREEMAN)