CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Some 16 barangays here are still without water services as they not covered by the government-run Cagayan de Oro City Water District (COWD).
COWD general manager Engr. Antonio Young admitted this in a report he submitted on Monday, April 24, to the city council on a request by the committee on public utilities chaired by Councilor Romeo Calizo.
This means that out of the 80 barangays in Cagayan de Oro City, COWD only served 80%, or 64 barangays — 53 barangays from the eastern part and 11 in the western part. The remaining 20%, or 16 barangays, remain "unserved."
Personnel from the Cagayan de Oro City Water District (COWD) conduct an emergency leakage repair of a 100-mm steel pipe near the NHA Fire Station in Phase 3, Barangay Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, on August 13, 2022. (File photo courtesy of the COWD)
COWD said supplying water to the upper portions of some of the populated barangays in the city, as well as the hinterland barangays, is part of the COWD plan, but admitted the existing water system in the city couldn’t reach the elevated areas.
"We are looking at the development of water sources. Like for example, tapping the FS Catanico; developing the spring source at Malasag, and also the bulk water supply from Manolo Fortich," Young said.
The COWD general manager was made to appear before the city council to provide an update to the current situation of the water services in CDO after a number of residents complained poor services from the water facilities.
During the committee hearing, COWD cited some plans it intends to implement to address the water crisis in CDO like tapping private operators for bulk water supply or a long-term construction of "Water Treatment Plant," which would cost at least P1 billion.
The COWD is sourcing funds for the said facility, and a few of their options are loans from banks, increasing the water rates, and grants from the national government.
"All these expenses, we absorbed that. That's why our reserves are fast depleting already, and if we cannot make some measures to increase our revenue, then we will have problems implementing our programs," Young said.
The COWD’s current water rate — P218 pesos for first 10 cubic meters — has been implemented since 2014. The water district here wasn’t able to implement an increase due to the health crisis brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.