Bacolod City Water District manager Vicente Petierre said yesterday that the company is sincere in addressing the water problem of the residents in Barangays Handumanan and Felisa in Bacolod City.

Petierre said they conducted an ocular inspection yesterday in Zone 6, Brgy. Handumanan where some residents alleged they ran out of water when the Baciwa well no. 7 started operating last month, after a meeting with them Monday at the City Mayor's Office. He said they found out that only two hand pumps, out of several units in the area, have no water while the rest still had water, although minimal.

To meet the problem head on, Petierre said they will initially put up two communal faucets, one at the plaza of Brgy. Handumanan and another in Zone 6 with authority from Handumanan Brgy. Captain Ricardo Danoy. After that, the pipe-laying will follow in the area and they are preparing the estimated cost so he could ask the approval of the Baciwa board during their meeting on Dec. 22 and 23, he said.

Petierre said one communal faucet costs P3,000 but this will be paid in installments by the barangay. He said the prevailing price of water in Handumanan is P4 to P5 per container but, with the operation of a communal faucet by the barangay, the residents will only have to pay about P1 per container.

He said they are giving the residents a choice whether to apply for water connection, or have their hand pumps rehabilitated. If they want a Baciwa connection, they can pay in installments and enjoy a year of free water supply, he said. In November alone, more than 200 residents of Brgy. Handumanan submitted their applications for water connection.

Petierre said he already explained to the residents of Brgy. Handumanan that time will come when the water supply in their hand pumps will be contaminated because their water pipes and the pipes of their septic tanks are interconnected. He said he will furnish the barangay captain the result of a study conducted this year which showed that the water in Handumanan contains bacteria.

Petierre said Baciwa has only one pumping station in Handumanan, which is operating now, and five in Felisa.

He said the barangays that will be provided water with the operation of Well no. 7 are Handumanan, Pahanocoy, Cabug, Sum-ag, Punta Taytay, Tangub, Alijis, Singcang and a portion of Taculing.*CGS

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