DPWH mulls level 2 water supply project for ‘Yolanda’ housing

TACLOBAN CITY, May 18 -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is planning to implement another level of potable water project for dwellers in northern relocation sites of the city.

DPWH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Edgar Tabacon said water bladders used to store water up for delivery to the northern part of the city were already fast deteriorating.

“The agency is also contemplating to explore possibility of supplier for filtration devices, which require additional funding from the national government,” Tabacon said on Thursday.

Earlier, the DPWH committed to deliver 50,000 liters of water daily to the northern relocation sites here, heeding President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to ease the suffering of families badly displaced by super typhoon "Yolanda".

The infrastructure agency converted its four trucks intended for maintenance works into delivery trucks carrying water storage bladders. Late last year, the DPWH main office brought two trucks to this city for resettlement sites.

“At present, the agency is subsidizing the fuel cost of delivery trucks. The Philippine Red Cross also lent trucks but DPWH is also subsidizing the fuel,” Tabacon added.

Each water bladder can store up to 10,000 liters while each truck holds 8,000 liters of water. The volume is enough to supply the needs of families living at Villa Sophia in Tagpuro village and Villa Diana in New Kawayan village, said DPWH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Edgar Tabacon.

The city government, local water district, and some non-government organizations support the water needs of other resettlement sites.

“We will continue to bring water to relocation sites for as long as the medium term or long term water supply projects are not yet done,” Tabacon said.

The DPWH has already installed in the Tacloban north resettlement areas with 112 units of five cubic meter and 113 units of two cubic meter stainless water tanks. There are also 375 jetmatic hand pumps installed in various areas of resettlement sites.

As of 2nd week of May, at least 8,628 families have been moved to the northern relocation sites from the city’s danger zones badly hit by super typhoon "Yolanda" on November 8, 2013.

(Sarwell Q. Meniano/PNA)