TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) directed Tabuk Water to present solutions to improve their facilities amid complaints about the quality of water supply, particularly in Bulanao.
During the SP’s regular session on March 28, customers including Tabuk City Election Officer Reyman Solbita aired their complaints about the dirty water coming out of taps recently especially in the morning, noting that this has been a recurring problem that the water concessionaire has not been able to address.
Engr. Robert Arandia, acting manager of Tabuk Water, said they are aware of the problem, which he attributed to ageing facilities and groundwater depletion. “Yung pipelines na-install 20 years ago kaya hindi maiiwasan na magkaroon ng build-up ng sediment,” he said.
Arandia said the complaints have prompted them to clean the water pumps and pipelines more frequently. “Nagco-conduct kami ng cleaning quarterly instead na ‘yung normal na every two to three years,” he said.
Vice Mayor Dick Bal-o said issues with Tabuk Water’s services are long-standing, noting that the SP has conducted several hearings on the matter in the past. “Ako councilor din ako ng three terms, palaging ganyan ang reklamo, kulang ang supply, kakaunti ang supply. Ang rason palagi kasalanan ng LGU, e dapat basic na yan na problema, kayo na ang nagi-initiate ng solusyon. Wala naman kayong sinasabi na apo councilor, apo mayor, mag-usap usap nga tayo para iplano natin ‘yung kailangang gastusin para mapalitan,” he said.
Under the contract of the city government with Calapan Waterworks which owns Tabuk Water, the city is responsible for the maintenance of the water system and shoulders the cost of major repairs.
Ultimately, the SP members agreed to pass a resolution directing Tabuk Water to present updates on the status of the city’s water system and to come up with proposals to upgrade and improve its facilities.
Arandia said they will present their proposals to the SP on April 25.
Apart from the dirty water, concerns about contamination were also raised with parents claiming the water supply has been linked by doctors to bacterial infection in children.
According to sanitary engineer Smith Dawaton of the City Health Office (CHO), Tabuk Water regularly submits water samples for the mandatory monthly bacteriological test. “Okay met ti result ti danum da but I don’t know nu sada lang itsamba nu awan diyay problema,” he said.
To ensure the integrity of the water sample, it was agreed that a representative from the CHO will be present during collection.