CITY OF SAN JOSE DEL MONTE—Ongoing transmission line extension projects in key areas in the city that will be completed in July this year will address the problem of insufficient supply of water in local households, Prime Water company officials said on Thursday.
Lester Santos, general manager of Prime Water City of San Jose del Monte said in an interview that pipe laying works in Tungkong Mangga areas are already gear for completion and will benefit several villages particularity the four barangays of Muzon, Gaya-gaya including the whole of the Poblacion (Old Municipal Poblacion).
Santos, contrary to reports, however said that Prime Water does not have insufficient supply. He explained that the high terrains and elevated areas make it difficult for Prime Water to supply some of the communities. “Hindi totoo na kulang. We have enough supply, sobra sobra pa. Kaya lang, nahihirapan marating ang ibang nasa tuktok. But, our project sa Tungkong Mangga, by July matatapos na ang expansion at mararamdaman na sa Gaya-gaya at iba pang lugar,” Santos told NEWSCORE.
Those areas only sourced its water from Interconnection Point No. 2 (IP2), he said, but completed pipeline extension will directly connect them to Interconnection Point 1 (IP1) which is a Bulacan Bulk-supplied 35 million liter per (MLD) day water in a 2,500 cubic meter capacity reservoir in Tanawin, Tungkong Mangga. This reservoir is located in Barangay Ciudad Real near the boundary of Caloocan City.
P1 Supplies the water requirements of barangays Tungkong Mangga San Manuel, Gaya Gaya, Graceville Gumaok East, Gumaok West, Gumaok Central, Maharlika and Mulawin.
A smaller plant, in Tunggkong Mangga, which is near Grand Cypress is also being upgraded.
Santos added that the concerns are also rooted in hydraulics. “There are deep wells in the high terrain and hilly areas that have gone dry. Previously, water was coming out of these wells, but these days, they are coming in. Now, we are reverting these hydraulics. We will make water inflows”.
Corazon Antonio from Barangay Poblacion told NEWSCORE on Friday that they experience water shortage almost everyday unlike residents in Tungkong Mangga which has other sources of water. ‘Tungko never experiences a lack of supply unlike what we, here in Poblacion and other communities near us experience,’ she said.
The rest of the 62 villages in the city sourced their water needs from Ipo Dam Aqueduct which are being treated in Plant 1 and 2 of Prime Water in Barangay Minuyan.
Jogenes Bacinilio, assistant plant manager of the two water treatment plants said Plant No. 2 supplies 30,000 MLD of water while Plant No. 1 supplies 20,000 MLD to the rest of the villages in the city not being supplied by Bulk Water.
Through Aqueduct connected to Ipo Dam, in the mountainous area in Barangay San Mateo, Norzagaray town, Plant 1 and 2 take inflow of water, treat them and distribute them to three major tanks–Igay, Fresh Air and Citrus areas for distribution to the rest of the villages in the city, says Jay Limense plant manager of the two plants.
The two plants are operated 24/hours a day and supply the round the clock water requirement of the city. Limense said there is no shortage in supply as the two plants are in full volume all time of the day particularly so because the aqueducts are in the lower portion of the Ipo Dam reservoir. “Hindi nawawalan ng supply, sumosobra pa, dahil nasa bandang ibaba ang aqauedauct namin na sumasalo agad sa Ipo Dam water releases,” he told NEWSCORE.
However, Limense said, complaints of yellowish water arise after repairs are conducted, but these are addressed by conducting through flushing. “If there are reports and complaints of yellowish water, we double the regular flushing activities,’ he said.
Alice Gualvez, a resident near Sarmiento Campus of Bulacan State University in Barangay Minuyan said water supply is not a problem among them but the yellowish water and the high cost of water.
“There are times thE water is dirty, it is yellowish, before, cleaning was regular, but not anymore when Prime Water took over a few years ago and that our water bills have soared high,” she said.
But, also, according to Bacinilio, they conduct regular daily water quality management monitoring in at least 20 barangays.
Bacinilio added that they deliver 10 tankers of water supply to hilly areas which are hard to reach from the regular supply.
Antonio also laments the increase in minimum consumption from previously 10 cubic meter per second to now 5 cubic meter per second usage.
Santos said residents who consumed not more than 10 cubic meters and who are also among the poorest of the poor only pay less than P150 per month under the “Lingap Agapay rate”.
From the basic charge of P212.50, there is a deduction of P80 under the said Lingap Agapay system leaving only a P132.50 regular monthly pay and a P10 discount for those consuming above 10 cubic meter per second.
Santos explained however that there is 12% VAT in the rates.
According to Santos, another Bulk Water supplies water to Prime Water through a series of reservoirs called the “AmGat” Metro Gate Reservoir that supplies 15 MLD water for Area H Sapang Palay and Dulong Bayan.
All the three water sources of the city–the two Bulacan Bulk and the two Plants in Minuyan are sourced from Angat Dam. Ipo Dam sourced its water from Ipo Dam, while the two Bulacan Bulks directly sourced its supply from Angat Dam in two different pipe connections or aqueducts.
The City of San Jose del Monte is also the largest city and municipality in Bulacan with almost 1 million residents.
