Quezon City---The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) continues to lead the government's efforts to provide safe potable water to the people in the countryside by completing twenty-three water supply improvement and expansion projects in as many provincial areas in the total amount of P345.8 million as of the first quarter of the current year.

This was reported recently by LWUA Administrator Orlando C. Hondrade who said that Southern Luzon accounted for nine of the completed projects amounting to P151 million; Visayas had eight worth P101.1 million; North Luzon, four at P64 million and Mindanao two costing P29.3 million. Most of the completed projects were supported by official development assistance (ODA) funds coming from various bilateral and multi-lateral aid agencies as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and the German Kreditanstalt fur Weideraufbau (KfW).

The projects included development of water sources such as shallow and deep wells, rivers or springs, construction of pumping stations or intake structures, water storage tanks or reservoirs, laying of additional or replacement pipelines and installation of valves, fittings and new metered individual household service connections as well as strategically located fire hydrants for fire-fighting purposes, Hondrade said.

An estimated 100,000 people living in the said areas are now directly or indirectly benefiting from the completed projects by way of better access to piped potable water, improved quality, pressure and supply of water provided by their respective local water districts who shall have the responsibility and obligation to repay the loans used in the projects, the LWUA chief said.

The just completed projects were undertaken in Maddela, Quirino amounting to P13.7 million; Palayan City, P5.64 million; Guagua, Pampanga, P24.76 million; San Antonio, Zambales, P19.9 million; Alitagtag, Batangas, P21.6 million; Guinyangan, P13.8 million and Gumaca, P6 million both in Quezon; Roxas, Palawan, P7.6 million; Ragay, P26.2 million, Sipocot, P15 million and Libmanan, P18 million, all in Camarines Sur; Daraga, P5.8 million and Tabaco City, P37.3 million , both in Albay; Dumaguete City, P 17.7 million; Silay City, P10 million; Malay, Aklan, P9.3 million; and Banate, P15 million, Miag-ao, P8 million, Tubungan, P9.9 million; Lambunao, P17.5 million and Zarraga, P11.7 million, all in Iloilo; New Corella, Davao del Norte, P15 million and Nasipit, Agusan del Norte, P14.342 million.
c May 17 , 2007