With Davao City Water District (DCWD) implementing a 30 percent water hike, Davao City Vice Mayor J. Melchor Quitain wants the water utility to "upgrade" their facilities.
Quitain made the remark during the conduct of inquiry to DCWD at the 20th City Council regular session on Tuesday, September 20.
This is after consumers of DCWD, since Friday, September 16, had experienced poor water service.
DCWD issued an emergency water service interruption in the whole Line 2 of the Dumoy Water Service System (WSS) due to electrical wiring being damaged and a main electrical wire needing to be replaced.
The Vice Mayor understood that it was an "emergency" and it was an unavoidable circumstance, but he said it was "like an emergency bordering on inefficiency."
"Probably now with the income that you are generating with the increase of 30 percent, we are hoping that you could probably upgrade your facilities so that the next time an equipment blows up, or electrical wiring needs replacement, the replacement will now be on hand and not still to be ordered which will take three months because at this day and age, water interruption even just for one or two days is already unacceptable to the people of Davao," Quitain said.
He said that the event served as an opener not only for DCWD, but for the public as well.
"We really need to be serious about the water shortages," the Vice Mayor said.
Quitain said the recent poor water service had been pinpointed to the city government, which he thinks is "unfair."
This prompted him to invite DCWD to the session.
Meanwhile, during the session, Hyde Reyes Laspiñas, DCWD Head of production, said 76 percent of its booster pumps are fully operational, and they are expecting the water supply serviced by Dumoy Water Supply System (WSS) Line 2 will recover.
Laspiñas bared that the water utility spends around P40 to 50 million on maintenance in their operation.
However, Councilor Bernie Al-ag demanded DCWD submit a report of their financial expenditures in improving their facilities and operation.
DCWD implemented a 30 percent water rate adjustment beginning August this year.
For the first ten cubic meters, the adjustment entails a minimum charge of P178.50 for residential and government connections, P357 for commercial and industrial connections, and P535.50 for bulk/wholesale.
For connections categorized as Commercial A, the minimum charge is P312.25, P267.75 for Commercial B connection, and P223.10 for Commercial C.
A varying commodity charge will also be applied for every 11 to 20, 21 to 30, 31 to 40, and above 40 cubic meters.
The rate adjustment is based on DCWD Board Resolution No. 22-170 with approval from the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) per BOT Resolution No. 42 series of 2022.
Councilor Louie John Bonguyan, the committee chairperson of energy and water, had previously opposed the water rate as the city is still recovering from the economic woes caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Al-ag said that during the public hearing, spearheaded by Bonguyan, the City Council opposed the water increase, through a position paper.
Despite the Council's objection, the LWUA still granted the hike.
SunStar Davao is still trying to reach out to DCWD for their response on the matter. RGL