BY
BOY RYAN B. ZABAL, AMJ
Severe river bank erosion is threatening the safety of
residents and the pumping station of Metro Kalibo Water District (MKWD), a
local water utility in Kalibo, Aklan.
The
pumping station in Barangay Tigayon is in danger of collapsing, according to
MKWD information officer Frederick Buenavidez in Bombo Kalibo report.
Buenavidez
said the soil from riverbank has been eroded due to strong stream of water in
Aklan River. There are also families living in the area at risk of losing their
homes and land to erosion.
He
stressed that short-term and long-term solutions for the Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH) are needed to solve the impending danger to lives and
properties of residents.
In
1990s, the Tigayon pumping station was put up around 50 meters away from the
riverbank, but, after the assessment this week, the erosion is just two meters
away from the pumping station.
Buenavidez
said the MKWD Water Services Division tasked to operate and maintain pumping
stations is also closely coordinating with DPWH to address the anxiety felt by
residents.
MKWD
is serving the water requirements of consumers in Kalibo, New Washington and
portions of Banga, Batan and Balete. It sourced its water from Aklan River with
its six pumping stations in Kalibo and Banga.
The
water utility also has a bulk water agreement with Datem Water, which sourced
its surface water for treatment in Aklan River.
MKWD
also served Numancia Water District of the town of Numancia through a bulk
water supply agreement since 2012./MP
No comments:
Post a Comment