Press Statement by the Cagayan de Oro Water District
PRESS STATEMENT:
SENDONG has wrought extensive damage to COWD facilities by: Public Relations , Information Division
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC To our valued concessionaires:
The Cagayan de Oro City Water District would like to inform our
concessionaires and the public in general that the typhoon SENDONG has
wrought extensive damage to our facilities. Our main booster pumping
station in Macasandig was completely damaged as it was almost totally
submerged in floodwater at the height of the typhoon along with six of
our production wells. Interruption in power supply has also affected the
operations of some of our pumping facilities. We are currently
operating using our generators. Some production wells particularly in
Bugo, Tablon and Macasandig have already been operational. Delivery of
water from our bulk supplier, the Rio Verde Water Consortium, Inc., has
also not been possible since Saturday due to the damage on the bridge
crossing where supply to our take-off point would have been channeled.
This brings the total supply shortfall to around 70% in the west service
area and 46% in the central and east service area. Total estimated cost
of damage is about P30, 400,000.00. Below are our completely damaged
properties:
1. MACASANDIG Booster Pumping Station, Pilot De Lara, Macasandig) 2. COWD Laboratory (for Quality Control), Pilot De Lara, Macasandig 3. Production Well #1, Pilot De Lara, Macasandig 4. Production Well #4, Biasong, Macasandig 5. Production Well #7, Biasong, Macasandig 6. Production Well #9, Biasong, Macasandig 7. Production Well #19, Vila Angela, Balulang 8. Production Well #24, Caballero Compound, Balulang
On the other hand, our facilities in operation are: 1. Bugo Booster Station - Villa Trinitas Subdivision, Bugo (From Bugo, Tablon and Lapasan) 2. PW#20, 21 & 22 - Villa Trinitas Subdivision, Bugo (From Bugo, Tablon and Lapasan) 3. PW#5 - Reyes Village Subdivision, Bugo (From Bugo, Tablon and Lapasan) 4. PW#11 - Bantiles, Bugo (From Bugo, Tablon and Lapasan) 5. PW#23 - Tin-ao, Agusan (From Bugo, Tablon and Lapasan) 6. PW#29 & 28 - Phasco Village, Tablon (From Bugo, Tablon and Lapasan) 7. PW#3A - Beside Macasandig Elementary School (Mandumol , Aluba, Tibasak) 8. Balulang Booster Station - Balulang (From Balulang to the whole west service area) 9. PW#14 - Balulang (From Balulang to the whole west service area) 10. PW#25 - Balulang (From Balulang to the whole west service area) 11. PW#26 - Singapore, Balongis (From Balulang to the whole west service area) 12. PW#27 - Macanhan (From Balulang to the whole west service area) 13. PW#17 - Balongis, beside Marymount Academy (From Balulang to the whole west service area)
Meanwhile, COWD is utilizing all its available resources to facilitate
water delivery to the affected areas. COWD has also sought the
assistance of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and private
individuals and groups with fire trucks to assist in distributing water
by allowing them free access to our hydrants along the highway from
Lapasan to Bugo. For their support we are indeed truly grateful.
A cluster of public faucets have also been installed beside our fire
hydrants to allow our concessionaires easy access to water. The public
is encouraged to go to any of the facilities identified below with their
containers so they may collect water for their storage and consumption.
However, since our laboratory is among our facilities that have been
totally damaged and therefore has rendered us incapable of monitoring
the level of residual chlorine in our distribution lines, COWD strongly
advises the consuming public to BOIL THE WATER BEFORE DRINKING for their
own safety and protection.
All efforts to restore the damaged
facilities to normal operating condition are being exerted. To attain
this, COWD shall be implementing the following activities in the next 31
days: -Cleaning of Collector Wells -Rehabilitation of Electric Motors - 10 units -Testing and Rehabilitation of Transformers- 6 units -Rehabilitation of Motor Controllers - 11 units -Disinfection of Production Wells - 6 production wells -Testing and Commissioning of Facilities
These events are fortuitous and totally beyond our control.
Nevertheless, we would like to assure the public that COWD is doing
everything in its capacity to restore normal supply operations the
soonest possible time. We are calling for sobriety and patience in this
time of crisis.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding.
