Iloilo City faces worsening water shortage crisis

Iloilo City is facing a significant water crisis. Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) is working to install a modular water treatment plant as a temporary solution. This plant should be ready within eight months and will have a capacity of 5 million liters per day. MPIW's chief operating officer, Angelo David Berba, admitted that the current water supply is not meeting the city's needs. MPIW is also beginning four projects to replace old water pipes. These changes aim to reduce water losses that the company isn't charging for. They are currently seeking permits from local authorities for these projects. Meanwhile, MPIW is building a larger desalination plant that will provide 66.5 million liters per day. However, Berba acknowledged this will only satisfy about 60 percent of the city's total water demand. The long-term solution for Iloilo's water shortage is the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project II, expected to supply up to 80 million liters per day. Berba emphasized the importance of this project for addressing the city's chronic water issues. Mayor Jerry Trenas expressed dissatisfaction with MPIW's performance. He noted that in over five years, the company has only met 27 percent of the city's water needs, which he called "unacceptable." He urged MPIW to invest more and improve its infrastructure to keep pace with the city's growth. Currently, MPIW supplies about 40 to 50 million liters of water daily. With increasing demand, the temporary solutions may not be enough in the long run.