By CHANNAH M. LOPEZ and MIMI BAÑARIA, GSD Interns
FORMER member of the board of directors of the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD), Joel Baldelovar, now the general manager of the High Valley Water Consortium Cooperative, spoke at a press conference on Wednesday, emphasizing the importance of continuous water service for the people of Cagayan de Oro despite the ongoing issues between COWD and Cagayan de Bulk Water Incorporated (COBI).
Baldelovar, who has taken on the role of ensuring the water treatment and maintenance of the Rio Verde Water Consortium Inc., highlighted the potential impact of service disruption on the residents of the city.
During the press event, Baldelovar also suggested that COBI should continue to accept payments to avoid cutting off the city's water supply, a situation that would adversely affect the local population.
He pointed out the current rate of P16.60 per cubic meter of water that COWD pays to COBI monthly for services rendered to the city, underscoring the financial arrangements in place.
"We are in the cooperative conducting the water treatment and maintaining the facility of the Rio Verde," Baldelovar stated, affirming their operational responsibilities.
Baldelovar, who also serves as the executive consultant to Rio Verde President Engr. Joeffrey Hapitan, condemned the idea of holding the citizens hostage to the financial disputes between COWD and COBI.
He declared that the contract between both parties does not stipulate water service termination for the city in case of delayed payments.
Moreover, Baldelovar said that on January 4, 2024, Rio Verde sent a letter to Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando "Klarex" A. Uy, requesting a Resolution Interposing No Objection from the City Council, signaling Rio Verde's keen interest in managing the water distribution within the city.
He clarified Rio Verde's capabilities to supply water to the city in the event that COBI decides to discontinue service after the April 12 deadline.
Baldelovar also confirmed that Rio Verde has submitted a request to the city government for a resolution of no objection, which is still pending before the city council.
In the letter, Rio Verde expressed its honor and privilege to propose services to provide comprehensive Level III Water Supply to all barangays in Cagayan de Oro that currently lack adequate water service from COWD.
The proposed new systems would include new pipelines to deliver potable water directly to households within Rio Verde's service areas.
Baldelovar highlighted that Rio Verde produces drinking water that meets the standards of the Philippine National Standard for Drinking Water and sources raw water from local rivers for treatment in their advanced facility.
Additionally, the letter stated Rio Verde's commitment to sustainable practices by avoiding "groundwater mining," aligning with recommendations to phase out deep wells to prevent environmental issues like saltwater intrusion and ground subsidence and to allow aquifer rehabilitation.
Given that current legislation does not grant COWD exclusive rights to supply potable water in Cagayan de Oro, Rio Verde is seeking formal approval from the City Council to commence its water distribution services, as outlined in the letter signed by Rio Verde President Engr. Joeffrey D. Hapitan. (With a report from Ben Balce)
