Cagayan de Oro City households were reminded on Thursday to stock up on water a full day before the April 12 deadline extension issued by the city’s bulk water supplier to the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) to settle its P426 million collectibles.

 

In a recorded statement aired by the Cagayan de Oro City Information Office, COWD general manager Engr. Antonio Young said they issued their advisory in case the Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Inc. (COBI) disconnects its service to the COWD at past 11:59 pm of April 12.

 

‘(In case of disconnection) it would take (a maximum of) one day to restore water service,’ Young said in Visayan. ‘Six barangays that will be severely affected are in the city’s first district such as Carmen, Patag, Kauswagan, Bayabas, Bonbon and Bulua.

 

In the city’s eastern side, the areas to be affected are Mandumol and Aluba in Barangay Macasandig, Barangays Camaman-an and Lapasan and a portion of Barangay Gusa,’ Young said.

 

But areas of Barangay Gusa particularly in Villa Ernesto Subdivision heading to Barangay Bugo won’t be affected since they are supplied by ‘water sources’ in Bugo and nearby Barangays Agusan and Tablon.

‘We issued this advisory in case negotiations between COWD and COBI break down,’ Young said.

 

Young said it would take a maximum of 24 hours for COWD to transition from COBI to other water suppliers, including Rio Verde Water Consortium which secured last Monday a resolution of no objection from the 20th City Council to directly supply water to the city’s households, particularly the city’s western areas which is serviced by COBI.

 

COBI directly sources water from Rio Verde whose contract with COWD ended when COWD entered into a bulk water supply contract with COWD.

 

A court ruling voided the COWD-Rio Verde contract back in 2017 and the Commission on Audit (COA) said transactions between COWD and Rio Verde ‘were held without legal basis.’

 

‘(Rio Verde) and the other water suppliers have assured Mayor (Rolando) ‘Klarex’ Uy that they will (step up and cover the shortfall) in case COBI disconnects its service to COWD,’ Young said. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)