TUBA, Benguet – The municipal government is embarking on a multi-million peso waterworks project that will guarantee sustainable water supply for the growing population in the town.
Mayor Ignacio Rivera claimed that of the P30 million that will be invested by the local government for the improvement of the town’s waterworks system, an initial P8.4 million will be subjected to public bidding for the improvement of the potential water source, the impounding area and the initial pipelines for the system to be operational.
“We are experiencing a significant increase in the number of people wanting to live in the municipality, especially in the town proper, that is why the local government is doing its best to make sure there is available supply of potable water for the people in the future even if the population will double or even triple in the coming years,” Rivera stressed.
The mayor pointed out it is important for the municipal government to secure its sources of potable water supply so that residents can be supplied with sustained adequate water supply even if there is rapid increase in the town’s population brought about by the increasing economic activities in the locality with investors now setting their sights in areas outside Baguio city as their business areas.
According to him, Tuba has sufficient sources of potable water supply which could be tapped to provide adequate water supply for the residents while some can be sold to the Baguio Water District (BWD).
After improving the waterworks system in the Poblacion area or along the Marcos highway area, Mayor Rivera claimed the local government will then focus its sights on the development of the water system in barangay Tadiangan and other barangays located along the Baguio-Asin road for them to enjoy the benefit of playing host to existing sources of water that provide abundant water supply for the town’s domestic and commercial needs.
He added that the timetable for the initial phase of the development of the town’s waterworks system project will be the next two and one half years depending on the pace of the implementation by the implementers commissioned by the municipality.
He said the plan is for the establishment of a consumers cooperative among the residents who will be connected to the waterworks system so that they will enjoy the benefits of a cooperative in charge of operating the system.
Rivera emphasized residents of the municipality should be the ones to benefit from the town’s available sources of water and that the excess water supply will be sold to the BWD.
By HENT
