IT LOOKS like normal water supply won't be back for another week as repairs on the damaged pipe get stalled by incessant rains, an official of Rio Verde Water Consortium Inc. (RVWCI) said on Wednesday, October 18.
Engineer Joffrey Hapitan, RVWCI senior vice president for operations, said river diversion earth works for the underwater pipe crossing Cagayan River has been affected by the heavy rain. He said a huge portion of the filling material and earth works were damaged by rampaging water.
Hapitan however clarified that since October 7 up to now, Rio Verde has been delivering 40,000 cubic meter per day to COWD's take-off point at Pueblo de Oro area using an alternate system powered by a 650 Kilowatt Booster Pump with a discharge pressure of 185 PSI.
"We are encouraging COWD to activate their own booster pump so that they will be able to service other concerned areas," he said.
But COWD assistant general manager Engineer Bienvenido Batar Jr. said that although Rio Verde has been supplying 40,000 cubic meter of water per day, the pressure at delivery point is still zero, meaning, water still cannot reach some areas in the western parts of the city.
Batar said the supply will be back to normal upon completion of repair works 1 week from now.
It has been over two weeks since water supply was cut off in the city’s western part.
It can be recalled that an underwater pipeline located in Taguanao Bridge was damaged due to heavy rain and earthquakes in the early months of this year.
The Rio Verde had initially announced a self-imposed deadline for the completion of the repairs on October 15 but moved the deadline to October 16.
However, as of Wednesday, October 18, repair works remain unfinished.