Montible and Lapu-Lapu water project records 61.45% accomplishment rate

The city water district said that the 61.45 percent accomplishment rate of the Water Supply Improvement Project (WSIP) II at Montible and Lapu-Lapu rivers is considered a “significant development” as it targets completion in November 2021.

Puerto Princesa City Water District (PPCWD) information officer Jenn Rausa said Wednesday that as of October 31 status report, the project has recorded this percentage of accomplishment since it started in July 2019.

Rausa said that the fastest development observed in the construction of the project is the completion of the transmission line, which covers 50 percent of the total project.

“Medyo mataas na ito kasi actually, ang pinaka-original na target sa contract natin ay July 2021 dapat matatapos ang project, tinitingnan din natin ang sitwasyon ngayon, although nag-extend ngayon, November 2021 na ‘yong tinatarget natin na completion. Pero meron kasing mga minor changes or variations doon sa project, for safety na rin, in-extend natin yong target completion,” she said.

“Ang pinakamabilis natapos ay ‘yong transmission line kasi di ba nong April ay na-tap na natin ‘yong source natin sa Montible at Lapu-Lapu kahit hindi 100 percent completed ‘yong project. Iyong pipe laying natin ay noong October (2019) lang, natapos ito nang April. So medyo mabilis ‘yon given na hindi naman maiksi lang yong area na pag-i-install’n natin ng pipeline,” she added.

Rausa said that the community quarantine protocols did not affect the development of the project’s construction as the city government provided an exemption certificate so PPCWD can still operate and inject water supply.

The exemption certificate also gave access to the PPCWD team to go inside the Iwahig and Montible area within the premises of Iwahig Corrections Facility (ICF) to inspect and monitor the project. Its contractor, HG III Construction & Development Corp., remained in the city to supervise the project even during the lockdown.

PPCWD has extended the expiration of the contract from July 22 to November 26, 2021, due to a delay in the shipment of materials needed for the ongoing construction.

“Since nag-tap tayo noong April until now, tuloy-tuloy natin nagagamit ‘yong source natin sa Montible. Iyong Campo Uno natin ay malakas na rin, maganda kasi ‘yong naging impact ng pag-tap natin sa source, although hindi pa siya 100 percent complete. Nabigyan ng chance ‘yong groundwater natin na makapagpahinga,” she said.

Rausa said that the recharging point of groundwater sources is also good preparation for the upcoming dry season in next year’s summer. She expressed her hope that the city will no longer experience the shortage in water supply due to the significant volume provided by Montible and Lapu-Lapu source.

PPCWD speed up its construction also in anticipation that demands will increase if most of the establishments will resume their operations next year.

Based on their observation, residential connections have a significant increase in consumption during community quarantine, as the government requires locals to shelter in place.

“Itong residential connections natin ang may significant increase sa consumption dahil karamihan ay nasa bahay so mataas ang consumption nila ng tubig. Nakaapekto itong pandemic sa consumption ng consumers namin especially ‘yong commercial natin but still may consumption pa rin sila. Although hindi na ganoon kataas during normal operations siguro nila,” she said.

Meanwhile, Rausa said that they are not yet looking into the possibility of having another cloud seeding operation in the summer of 2021.

“Ang cloud seeding ay hindi pa namin ina-eye as early as now pero nakaraan, ‘yong cloud seeding natin, nagsabi na rin tayo sa Fliteline, partner agencies natin na baka hindi tayo mag-conduct ng cloud seeding since maganda naman ‘yong production ng bagong source,” she said.

“In case man na mag-conduct tayo ng cloud seeding pero I think, next year ay hindi tayo magka-conduct. Ang cloud seeding natin ay dito na sa Montible and Lapu-Lapu watershed,” she said.