At least 70 percent of the water system in Valencia, Negros Oriental has been restored this week after Tropical Storm Sendong ravaged that mountain town and other areas in the province last Dec. 17.
As this developed, Valencia Mayor Ricky Gonzalez disclosed that he has asked the town council to suspend collection of payment of water bills in December and January to allow constituents to recoup from the devastation left by “Sendong”. The mayor is hopeful the municipal council will approve such request.
This would also allow residents whose water connections have been restored to share for free with their neighbors or other people who still do not have access to water, Mayor Gonzalez said.
He admitted that water in Valencia now is not totally clean and safe yet, but once it goes back to normal, the town will resume collection of payment.
The entire town suffered a major setback after floodwaters spawned by the tropical storm washed out its water system, cutting off pipelines and destroying main water sources, some of which are only accessible by foot, such as that in Maiti.
Luckily, the local government was able to procure immediately pipes and other construction materials and begun rehabilitation of the damaged water sources as early as December 19.
In the past weeks, the Valencia local government had to bring in water via tanker trucks of the town’s fire department, the Bayawan City local government and private volunteer groups.
Tanker trucks will continue with the delivery of water supply to Valencia constituents until after the town’s water district shall have obtained a 100 percent repair and rehabilitation of the water system, Gonzalez said.
Meanwhile, some 50 Philippine Army soldiers are expected to assist Valencia workers this week in carrying on foot heavy rolls of water pipes to the major water sources that were destroyed by “Sendong”.
It would take at least six people to drag a roll of pipe with a six-hour walk one way to Maiti, the biggest major source of water in Valencia.
Valencia town has been tagged as the hardest hit by “Sendong” of the ten or more local government units in Negros Oriental.