LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Potable water supply in some parts of the municipality is expected to significantly improve following the upcoming completion of a P16 million waterworks project being undertaken through the Salin-Tubig program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Barangay Shilan.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda reported that the project involves the put up of the appropriate deep well and the laying out of the pipelines in the area so that more residents can have access to potable water supply for their domestic and other uses.
He claimed that if the cooperative in Barangay Shilan is not capable of managing the newly established water system, it will be turned over to the La Trinidad Water District (LTWD) to ensure its sustainable operation and the proper maintenance of the facilities that will guarantee adequate potable water supply for the consumers connected to the waterworks system.
The local chief executive admitted that residents living in highly elevated areas in the municipality are having problems accessing water supply during the summer months because of the low pressure being experienced by the LTWD from its existing water sources, thus, the commissioning of the new potable waterworks project will definitely help in partially addressing the said problem within Shilan and other nearby barangays.
According to him, the municipal government and the LTWD continue to seek for effective and efficient measures on addressing the low water pressure from the existing water sources to lessen the complaints from residents living in highly elevated areas on their inability to get their regular water supply during the dry season.
Mayor Salda called on residents to help in safeguarding the remaining forested areas in the municipality to ensure that the potable water supply in the various communities will not be significantly affected in the coming years.
The mayor urged the people to instead actively participate in the various tree planting and nurturing activities to conducted by the municipal government and the different environmental preservation and protection advocates to help bring back the greenery of the various communal forests to help sustain potable water supply for years.
He pointed out that people should not allow the communal forests to be invaded by informal settlers because the massive cutting of trees will definitely have a significant impact on the steady supply of potable water in the municipality.
Salda stipulated that the town’s Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) had been tasked to prepare a comprehensive forest protection plan in close coordination with concerned government agencies, the Environment and Natural Resources Council so that there will be short, medium and long-term solutions in effectively and efficiently addressing the problems created by the massive deforestation aggravated by climate change to prevent the any untoward incident that will compromise the safety of people.
By Hent
Photo by Armando M. Bolislis