AN OFFICIAL of the Cagayan de Oro City Water District (COWD) said since December 31, 2017, MetroPac has been supplying water to the western parts of the city, marking the end of the decade-old relationship between Rio Verde Water Consortium Inc. and the city's water facility.

Engineer Rachel Beja, COWD general manager, said the Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Inc.(COBI), the company created after COWD and Metropac undertook a joint venture agreement last year, is supplying some 40,000 cubic meters per day to western concessionaires.

"Officially, our contract is already now with COBI. Yes, supply is now provided by COBI since December 31, 2017," Beja said.

Beja also disclosed that although Rio Verde is already out of the picture, she said COBI "gets the same source as Rio Verde's".

The move comes after the Regional Trial Court Branch 38 accepted and approved the compromise agreement that the COWD and Rio Verde signed last December 21, 2017.

While the Rio Verde will not be obliged to deliver water anymore, COWD board chairman Eduardo Montalvan earlier said they can still buy water from them during emergencies. .

In March last year, the Metro Pacific Investments was awarded the 100 million liters per day (MLD) Bulk Water Project.

The project has a term of 30 years, and renewable for another 20 years, and involves the supply of up to 100 MLD of treated bulk water, as well as construction of transmission lines and rehabilitation of the Camaman-an Reservoir to supply the COWD, which currently has about 90,000 service connections.