Residents of Barangay Pinamuk-an in New Washington, Aklan, now benefit from safe, potable and reliable drinking water supply realized through Metro Kalibo Water District's (MKWD) P3.6 million innovative underwater pipe extension project which connected the island barangay to the Kalibo mainland's modern water supply system.

This was reported to Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) Board Chairman Proceso Domingo by MKWD general manager Renato Albar during the former's dialogue with water district officials in the region held in Numancia, Aklan recently.

Albar said the project was financed by the water district itself and technically-supervised by LWUA. It involved the laying of over four and a half kilometers of 100mm diameter high density polyethelyne (HDPE) and UPVC pipes.

Before the project was implemented, the 600 or so families living in barangay Pinamuk-an could only dream of access to a safe, potable and reliable water supply system since their community was isolated by the sea from the Kalibo mainland. Residents relied only on a handful of deepwells where water quality was always questionable. The more affluent bought water transported in bancas from the Kalibo mainland.

Chairman Domingo, who is also the presidential adviser for infrastructure development, noted that this was the first successful implementation of an underwater pipeline expansion project using HDPE pipes. He said it would now be possible for similarly situated island barangays in other parts of the country to have access to potable water supply through the efforts of their concerned water districts and LWUA. The health and economy of such communities would be enhanced by their access to safe and reliable water supply systems, in addition to the provision of electric power which is also part of the Arroyo administration's priority program.

c January 23, 2008