Water shortage ends but will return in 2011

MAASIN CITY – Without adequate water supply Maasin will never become the growth center of Southern Leyte.

According to Maasin Water District General Manager Nestor Geraldo investors like the Gaisano Department Store company are demanding adequate and dependable water supply service.

He said with the installation of three huge water pumps at the Nasaug and Capures springs and with the advent of the rainy season the water supply of the city is almost back to normal. But that next year the problem would return because MWD does not have the funds to upgrade its facilities.

He also said city hall had not yet provided the assistance it promised to give them. He said they had to resort to massive austerity measures like reduced electric consumption, gasoline usage, and other cost-cutting ways to generate the funds to buy the new water pumps which cost over 500,000 pesos.

Interviewed during the height of this year’s water crisis City Mayor Maloney Samaco pledged to help the city’s struggling water utility by providing water pipes and financial support. But according to Geraldo they had not yet received any assistance from the city government.

Councilor Romy Geniston however said he had sponsored a resolution with the city council to review and allocate funds for the water distrtict.

He assured SLT that he would fastrack its approval since he was aware that investors would hesitate to come here if the city cannot solve its annual water shortage problem.

Geraldo told the Southern Leyte Times that they were searchingfor alternative water sources and were minimizing water loss by fixing the leaks in their water pipes and by replacing faulty meters. He also said they were disconnecting illegal water connections.

Geraldo admitted that they could not upgrade their water delivery system without the support of the city and provincial government and the business sector. He said they were having second thoughts about pursuing their P20 million loan application with LWUA because their water consumers would have to repay the loan eventually. (By ANGELYN BOOK)

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