Metro Pacific Dumaguete Water Services Inc. (Metro Dumaguete Water) has completed water service improvement projects in areas with critical water supply and pressure in the City.
New pipes were laid in September in barangays Bagacay, Batinguel, and Taclobo as part of the rehabilitation plans of MDW, improving water supply and pressure to around 350 households in the area.
MDW also installed a 252-meter pipe leading to Jasonville Subd. in barangay Junob, after months of planning and discussions with the City Engineer’s Office and the Barangay, boosting the water supply of 35 households.
“We have identified critical areas that require our immediate attention, and barangays Junob and Batinguel are in the top of our list. We are working on projects that could directly improve the water service in the area,” MDW Chief Operating Officer David Berba said.
Although the long-term solution is to reduce water losses and add more wells and reservoirs, these pipe rehabilitation projects are expected to relieve a portion of the areas experiencing low water pressure.
“The general problem will take years to address, but we are trying to find short and mid-term solutions to improve the water service,” said Berba.
Recently, MDW repairmen fixed a 12-inch pipe beneath a concrete pathway near Crossing Taclobo, which was losing an estimated one million liters per day due to a major leak.
MDW discovered the major leak after receiving numerous complaints of severe low pressure in the area, prompting a thorough investigation.
A team was immediately dispatched to the site to do the repairs in the evenings, to minimize disruption of water supply which is mostly used during the day.
Berba said the successful leak-detection and repair was facilitated by the company’s new leak-detection equipment, including water pressure loggers and water level sensors, which provide accurate information to support necessary rehabilitation projects.
“These tools, worth P10 million, have been extremely helpful in the implementation of our programs,” Berba added.
He lamented that Dumaguete is losing around 15 million liters of water per day, or equivalent to serving 15,000 households, due to water leaks caused by aging pipes.
Since the start of MDW operations nine months ago in February, around 3,000 pipeline repairs have been conducted.
Several pipe rehabilitation projects have been carried out in Dumaguete, as more and more deteriorated pipes are discovered.
MDW, a joint venture between Metro Pacific Water and DCWD, commits to providing 24/7 water availability, improved water pressure, additional wells and reservoirs, enhanced customer service, and sustainable programs through its five-year plan. (PR)
