BACOLOD CITY – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Bacolod has provided supplemental water supply to barangays here to address water shortage from the El Niño phenomenon.

THE Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) rations water to residents in Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City. (BFP-Bacolod)
The BFP started water rationing on February 28 as part of their intervention efforts and has already augmented water supply to residents of Ellorico Subdivision, Purok Casiana, and Purok Sulom 1 in Barangay Mandalagan.
Residents were encouraged to coordinate their water needs through their barangays as the BFP will continue with this intervention in coordination with the city government.
Last month, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez held an emergency meeting with the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa)-PrimeWater, bulk water suppliers, National Water Resources Board (NWRB), Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), and Water Utilities Division (WUD) to address the water shortage.
Benitez said that he directed Baciwa to make a technical study regarding water sources that could be tapped and a water network to be established.
A water summit was held last January wherein it was agreed upon that 15 to 16 million liter per day (MLD) will be provided to residents here within six months as part of the efforts to improve the quality of water supply.
However, Benitez, during the meeting, urged suppliers to provide water within three months with the current effects of El Niño. “I learned that there’s a shortage of water supply, much more during this time of El Niño,” he said.
During the meeting, Baciwa-PrimeWater said they have identified deep wells that could provide 15 to 16 MLD of water, including five MLD from a source in Barangay Alangilan here.
After the meeting, a team from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), BACIWA-PrimeWater, and MGS Construction conducted an inspection to ensure the swift implementation of the transmission line project connecting one of the identified deep wells to North Circumferential Road in Barangay Bata, this city.