Mayor Benjamin Magalong warned water delivery companies that resort to overpricing, taking advantage of the high demand for water amid the supply shortage gripping the city.
The mayor said his office received reports that certain water delivery firms have jacked up their prices to as much as P80 per drum which is double the usual price of P40 per drum.
“This is unacceptable, unethical, and immoral. You cannot take advantage of the people’s misery and sufferings,” the mayor said.
Other complaints received point out unfair practices of the companies prioritizing businesses and those with big orders over residences.
The mayor warned the city government is prepared to cancel the business permits of those companies that engage in this unconscionable practice.
“We will also have their deep well operations permit cancelled by the National Water Resources Board,” the mayor added.
The mayor said the city government has been working closely with the Baguio Water District to remedy the current water shortage due to the lack of rain and soaring temperatures caused by the El Niño phenomenon.
BWD General Manager Salvador Royeca said water sources in the city have been experiencing seasonal decline since December aggravated by the effects of the drought.
To address the problem, Royeca said the district has been working hard to complete its ongoing drilling projects which were started in the previous years to prepare for El Niño.
Royeca said three new deep wells are scheduled for completion and activation until May – the Balabac deepwell along Balacbac Road which began on April 14; the Amparo 7 deepwell located at Amparo Heights, Camp 7; and the Ramsey deepwell at Bakakeng which will become operational anytime soon.
He said the three new deep wells will augment the city’s water yield with a combined production of 5,000 cubic meters of potable water daily.
The Balacbac deep well will benefit over 6,000 clients in Balacbac, parts of Marcos Highway including all laterals towards Legarda, Dr. Cariño, parts of QM and Rock Quarry.
The Amparo 7 deepwell which is currently undergoing final evaluation and assessment will serve 5,000 active connections in parts of Camp 7, Bakakeng, Balsigan, the central business district via the BWD BGH tank, and supply areas along Magsaysay Road and Quezon Hill, among others.
Royeca said the Ramsey deepwell is being expedited to bolster the water conveyed towards the BWD Marcos Highway tank, which caters to Sto. Niño-Bengao, Crystal Cave, Kitma, and surrounding areas.
Last February, the district inaugurated the Zigzag deep well along Kennon Road and activated the Richwood deep well along Easter-Guisad Road on March 12.
New drilling projects are also underway at Slaughterhouse and Camp 7. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
