ANGELES CITY — “Our people have suffered enough. They also need to know the real situation and what the provider is doing.”
Thus, Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. scored PrimeWater in a meeting on June 3 as he gave the city’s water provider until the end of the month to put an end to the water problem that has been besetting 22 of the city’s 33 barangays.
Lazatin also ordered the officials of PrimeWater to attend the investigation of the city council on the water situation.
“Ang kailangan po nating hanapin at ibigay ay ‘yung mga solutions na dapat gawin dahil ang pinaka-apektado po rito ay ang ating mga kababayan na nagbabayad ng tama pero hindi nasusuklian ng tamang pagseserbisyo,” Lazatin said.
The city has set another joint committee meeting with PrimeWater on June 7, 2022 at the City Council Session Hall at 10 a.m.
PrimeWater has failed to attend the first committee hearing and instead issued a letter that claimed “constant re-piping and power outage” as the two main reasons behind the water problem in the city. The power outage for three days, it said, led to the massive water shortage.
Councilor Jesus “Jay” Sangil, vice chair of the committee on public utilities, said PrimeWater’s commitment should be to present a program or plan regarding the water problem. “PrimeWater has yet to present a plan, not even a band-aid solution such as generators to continue using water pumps in cases of power outages.”
“There should be due diligence. They have to educate us, sabihin po nila talaga honestly kung ano po ang situation and condition ng water sa Angeles City. Dapat sa kanila po manggaling para hindi tayo nagi-speculate,” he furthered.
Sangil also shared the findings of their initial investigation that there are five boosters for water pressure. These boosters are placed in various pumping station to increase pressure for greater water supply. However, one booster malfunctioned, and the other three boosters are closed during the night — only one booster has been working at nighttime.
“This could have been the reason behind the Angeleños’ complaints on little to no water at all during the night,” Sangil said. “Kailangan po talaga nilang makipag-upuan upang maharap at malutas ang problema.”
“We are partners [PrimeWater and the Angeles City government]. Hindi po nakikipag-away ang city government sa water provider. Given the problem, ang mga concessioners po ng PrimeWater ay constituents natin. So ang problema, pagtulungan po natin,” Sangil shared.
“PrimeWater is expected to present a short-, mid-, and long-term solution for the water woes of the residents. Other solutions like expansion and rehabilitation programs for the city are also highly-anticipated by the body. A system is also expected to be introduced for the next five to 10 years,” Sangil added. Angeles CIO
