A BACOLOD City Councilor opposed to the rebidding of the drilling of six additional water wells of Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) in various areas.
rCouncilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. said the City Council and the Bacolod Water Consumers Watch are also opposing the drilling of more wells because the Bacolod Bulk Water Inc. (BBWI) is set to deliver water supply in October this year.
Gamboa, chairman of Bacolod Water Consumers Watch, on Thursday, August 17, said Baciwa informed him they will conduct another bidding after the first bidding in May was declared a failure.
The drilling of six wells costs P49 million.
Former Baciwa general manager Mario Macatangay had earlier said the six wells will augment the water supply while waiting for the operation of the BBWI.
He said the six wells were drilled to reduce the water supply shortage of five million to six million liters daily, adding that Baciwa has water supply for only 42,000 out its 53,000 concessionaries.
Baciwa has a total of 60 wells, mostly dependent on power from Central Negros Election Cooperative because of lack of generators to run the wells during brownouts.
Instead of drilling of six wells, Gamboa said Baciwa could divert the P49 million for the reduction of the non-revenue water, rehabilitation and maintenance of old pipes, and construction of additional water lines for the non-serviceable communities.
He said about 50 percent of Bacolod residents are not covered by Baciwa.
“So why we don’t use this money for the improvement of Baciwa services,” he added.
Gamboa revealed that there’s a move from Baciwa to privatize the water district, including the distribution of water to the communities.
“There is already an unsolicited proposal because they are planning to privatize even the distribution of the water,” he added.
