DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 4 March) – The Davao City Water District is planning to put up generating sets in its satellite stations in Tugbok, Toril, Lubogan, Cabantian, Panacan, Riverside Calinan, and Calinan.
This was the reaction of the water utility to the statement of Councilor Diosdado Mahipus who suggested that it put up the equipment in all of its wells, especially now with the rotational brownouts affecting the city.
DCWD spokesperson Bernardo Delima told MindaNews Tuesday that putting up one generator set for each of the production wells will cost the utility a total of P500 million.
Delima added that 36 of the 54 wells were already connected to a special line from the Davao Light and Power Company, “meaning it will not be affected by rotational brownouts. In other areas, one to two-hour brownouts will not cause water stoppage.”
Mahipus, at a speech delivered during the privilege hour at the Sangguniang Panlungsod, said the DCWD needed to continuously provide water to all parts of the city.
The councilor said he found out from a “reliable source” that the rotating brownouts announced by Davao Light starting February 19 would affect the water supply.
“I cannot take the reason that simply because there is power shortage or there is a cutting of power in the city, we will also miss drinking the cleanest and the best water in the world, next to Netherlands,” Mahipus said.
Mahipus added that it was inexcusable for the utility to not supply water in March, which is prone to fires and has been identified as Fire Prevention month.
In a report last week, Davao Light corporate communications head Rossano Luga told reporters they were working hard not to include the pumping stations of the DCWD in the rotational brownouts, as well as hospitals and other health care facilities.
Meanwhile, Delima said the DCWD would not need generating sets granted the Tamugan water supply facility begins operating in 2019.
The facility, he said, would be run by gravity to supply water to the city.
