P3,000 reward offered for reporting illegal water connection in Iloilo
By Tara Yap
ILOILO CITY — Residents of Metro Iloilo who report illegal water connections will be given a reward of P3,000 each.
The cash incentive is part of the TAPnaon ang Illegal Connection (TAPIC) program by the Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW), the joint venture between State-owned Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) and Metro Pacific Water (MPC).
The TAPIC program generally aims to curb illegal water connections while reducing non-revenue water in Iloilo City as well as the towns of Oton, Santa Barbara, Cabatuan, Maasin, San Miguel, Pavia, and Leganes.
“At the moment, MPIW’s non-revenue water ratio is estimated at 48 percent,” said Engr. Jedd Roxas, head of MPIW Operations Division.
“Since 2019, water losses have been reduced to an all-time low from 45,000 to 29,000 cubic meters per day. The company envisions attaining the non-revenue water ratio of 35 percent by 2024,” said Roxas.
Illegal connections are one of the two main factors in MPIW’s non-revenue water. The other is technical -- leaky and damaged pipes.
“It’s crucial to protect our water resources and infrastructure. We must do everything possible to prevent illegal water connection, which could cause other users to lose pressure or even worse could create a danger to public health,” added John Cañoner, head of MPIW Commercial Division.