The residents of Zone 6, Brgy. Handumanan, Bacolod City are demanding a stop to the operation of Baciwa Well. No. 7 as an immediate solution to their water problem during a committee hearing at City Hall yesterday.

The residents also asked that a CDO be implemented again by the city and that they be provided water by a firetruck while solutions are not yet available.

Bacolod Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, chairman of the Committee on Energy, said about 639 houses are reportedly affected by the operation of Well No. 7 and they claim that their hand pumps are not defective.

The committee hearing yesterday was presided over by Batapa-Sigue and City Agriculturist Goldwyn Nifras, who was appointed by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, to head the technical team that will inspect and investigate the complaints of the residents and submit a recommendation.

Batapa-Sigue said they will verify the complaints of the residents and advise Baciwa to transfer their pumps if these are valid.

Diego Malacad of the Barangay Opposition Against Massive Baciwa Abuses said that since Well No. 7 operated on Oct. 25, Zone 6 experienced a reduction of water from Nov. 15 to 16. He said they discovered that Zone 6 was not included in the P537 million project of Baciwa allegedly because the residents are poor and cannot afford to pay for water connection.

Baciwa general manager Vicente Petierre said that when the project was started in 1994 there were no people living in that area yet so it was not included in the design of the consultants.

Baciwa Assistant Manager for Operations Samuel Pinado said that after their meeting with the Mayor Monday, they made an ocular inspection and pulled out four defective pumps to repair them. He clarified to the residents that when the Mayor lifted the cease-and-desist order on the further operation of the Baciwa pumping stations in Brgys. Handumanan and Felisa, there were certain terms and conditions being offered to the residents. He said they were asked to choose whether they want to apply for water connection or have their hand pumps repaired by Baciwa.

Pinado said that if the residents opted for a Baciwa connection, they can avail of 10 cubic meters of water, equivalent to 50 drums, per month for the first 12 months. He said after that they will be paying as regular customers.

He said that since they reactivated Well No. 7 on Nov. 10, they were able to install more than 100 water pipe lines in Handumanan. He said they will also install pipe lines in Bangga Totong in Brgy. Felisa.*CGS

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