THE Bacolod Bulk Water Inc. (BBWI) is awaiting the payment of Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) for its billing for two months.
BBWI chairman Ryan Yapkianwee said in a press conference Thursday they sent the statement of accounts to Baciwa, but the water district still failed to pay them since they started the water delivery to the Injection Point 1 in Barangay Granada in October 2017.
“They failed to pay us because of some issues that they need to resolve first like the water delivery injection point issue,” he said.
Yapkianwee noted that Baciwa general manager Juliana Carbon told them to deliver the water to the reservoir in Purok Loygoy, Barangay Granada then they will pay while the board of directors instructed to deliver the water directly to the pipelines.
“They should resolve their issues and we will abide with whatever they decide on,” he said.
The BBWI is still negotiating with the landowners to get a right-of-way for their pipes to pass from its water treatment plant to Baciwa’s reservoir in Purok Loygoy.
Under the contract, it states that from the water treatment plant, the water supply has to go through the reservoir where Baciwa’s water meter is located before it goes to its water pipes.
In October 2017, the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) allowed amendments in the contract between Baciwa and BBWI.
Baciwa allowed the BBWI the interconnection of their water line to the Baciwa pipeline in Barangay Granada.
Baciwa assistant general manager for operations Jenelyn Gemora had earlier said the interconnection of the pipeline is only temporary and the BBWI was given six months to put in place their pipelines from the water treatment plants towards the reservoir.
Yapkianwee said they are waiting for an order from Baciwa and they will follow it.
He said that despite the delayed payment of the water district, they will not stop the water delivery to Baciwa.
Injection Point 1 or the Ngalan Water treatment plant in Bangga Bagol, Barangay Granada has been supplying more than 15,000 cubic meters of bulk water per day. BBWI delivers it to Baciwa with a rate of P8.85 per cubic meter.
The BBWI is using Baciwa’s water rights permit and after seven years, they will turn over the system to the Baciwa management for free.
Yapkianwee said that after seven years, they will donate to the people of Bacolod or Baciwa the Injection Point 1 which costs P150 million.
He said that since the bulk water supply project started, water pressure and water availability in the surrounding barangays of Burgos-Granada and Taculing have greatly increased, and in some areas by as much as 20 hours per day.
Meanwhile, Yapkianwee said the Sum-ag water treatment plant and delivery pipeline in Murcia, expected to supply Injection Point 2 is under construction, and is expected to be online by April 2018.