Water finally flows through the Balilihan’s Waterworks system with the supply sourced from
Bugwak Spring located at barangay Sto. Niño of the said town.
A video of the water flowing from the pipes connected to the water source was provided to
The Bohol Tribune on Apr. 13, 2022.
The Bohol Tribune immediately reached out to Balilihan mayor Pureza Veloso-Chatto to get her comments regarding the video about the Balilihan waterworks.
Chatto said that water has started to flow from the source to the reservoirs following the installation of the 200 kilovolt ampere (KVA) generator set. The generator set is powering the water pump which draws water from Bugwak Spring to be delivered to the reservoirs of the local government unit’s waterworks system.
She said water supply is yet to reach consumers residences as a flushing stage is being conducted to clean the pipes. It will take a week for the flushing stage to be completed.
Once the flushing stage is done, water supply will then be distributed to the water reservoirs.
The reservoirs are located in barangays Tagustusan, Del Carmen Sur, Del Carmen Weste, Haguilanan Grande, Sto. Niño and Hanopol Norte, Chatto said.
The barangay water system will then tap the water lines connected with the reservoirs in order to further distribute the water supply to the residents, Chatto explained.
Once the flushing stage is done, the water pressure to existing consumers will become stronger.
This is phase 1 of the waterworks masterplan, costing P95 million, the mayor revealed.
Phase 2, with a budget of P71 million, will involve the rehabilitation of distribution lines from the reservoirs to the consumers’ water lines.
“Ang phase 2 ana, mag rehabilitate pa ta sa main lines sa waterworks. Kana gikan sa tangke paingon sa mga barangay para adto mo-tap ang mga balay,” she told The Bohol Tribune.
Phase 2 will also involve the addition of more water tanks in identified areas of the town where water pressure is poor, she added.
“Tungod kay nahibaw ta nga kusog ang tubig sa Bugwak [Spring], we expect nga ang mga lugar nga kanang karon dili maabtan [ug tubig], karon maabtan na kay kusog naman ang pressure sa tubig,” Chatto explained.
REACTION
Chatto said she is elated that finally water will be soon distributed to more residents of Balilihan.
“Nalipay gud ta kaayo. Kay dugay ni nato na ge damgo. Ang master plan kay sukad pa sa 2015, but way before that nagsige nata ug lantaw sa panubig,” Chatto said.
CHALLENGES
Chatto told The Bohol Tribune that a water utility company allegedly placed a barricade leading to the area of the power plant of the Bohol Electric Cooperative 1 (BOHECO 1) located near the Bugwak Spring.
This prevented the contractor from placing the generator set in the Boheco area.
“Isulod unta ang gen set sa area sa Boheco, kay naa man mi permit gikan sa Boheco nga mugamit sa ilang area nga adto didto ibutang ang among power supply. Karon dili man mi pasudlon sa Richli, ila man gibutangan ug “private property-no tresspassing”, pero kanang private property nga ilang
geingon is considered environmental protected zone, murag easement. Kung easement, it should allow free public access for transportation, for mga tawo. Tungod dili gusto ug samok ang contractor, nag decide ang contractor nga dili nalang isulod ang generator aron way samok. Wa nalang gisud sa Boheco area, kay muagi man sa easement. Naa nalang gibutang dapit sa end sa barangay road, kay barangay road is government,” Chatto said.
PEOPLE POWER
Chatto said that some residents of Balilihan gathered at the site near Bugwak Spring to show support to the waterworks project of Balilihan on Apr. 8, 2022.
Chatto said: “Dili man to ingon nga people power. Aw, murag sort of. Nangadto man gayud ang mga tawo. Murag ila lang gegwardiyahan ang genset nga makasud. Just to make sure, just to witness for themselves nga naa gyud ang project ug naa na sa tumoy-tumoy sa kahumanan wala unta mobabag ana,” the mayor explained.
Chatto reiterated that there is no plan for the local government unit to sell the water from Bugwak Spring to consumers outside Balilihan. The water drawn from the spring is for the water needs of the people of the town.