Maynilad set to study Batac’s water problems

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff Reporter

Batac City—Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta disclosed that high ranking officials visited this city recently to study the water problems here.

Nalupta said Maynilad proposed the study on the water problem here especially the unserviceable areas.

After the study, Maynilad said they would come up with possible solutions in three to four months.

The mayor said he accepted the proposal, primarily for the city government to learn how to improve water distribution here. He added that water is one of the perennial problems in the city.

If the solutions presented are acceptable, Nalupta said they would accept them and prepare a public-private partnership.

Nalupta related that this would be one way to welcome private entities more so if the local government unit or even a government-owned or controlled corporation (GOCC) could not financially shoulder the project that is expected to benefit the people.

Aside from Batac, Maynilad also visited other municipalities in the province for the same purpose, according to Nalupta.

Relative to this, the mayor said the city government also expressed its support to the Batac Water District (BWD) by giving them interest-free so they could give better service.

He said that the city government also delivered free pipes that were laid along Barangay Baay, which was earlier requested to the city to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for the waterless communities.

Nalupta believes that BWD is also doing their best to give better water services to the public but during dry months, they are having a hard time stabilizing water supply.

With the coming in of Maynilad, Nalupta hopes that solutions to these problems would lay down a better and quality water service for the city. He related that these problems have started dating back to his childhood.