Bontoc water shortage solved; far source found

By Alpine L. Killa

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The distribution of sufficient and safe potable supply of water will soon be enjoyed by the four central barangays of this capital town following tapping of a distant source of the basic commodity.

This, with the ongoing project on the installation of potable water system in Gakhan Creek/ spring in Barangay Talubin going directly to the water reservoir in Pagturao, Poblacion and to be distributed to the households, commercial buildings and institutions in Barangays Bontoc Ili, Poblacion, Caluttit and Samoki.

The Gakhan Creek water source can be reached by four to five hours trek from the road going up the mountain.

At present, the Bontoc Municipal Government through the Water Works Unit relies mainly on two springs as its main water source to supply the domestic and commercial needs of the four central barangays.  These are the Balabag Water Source located along Bontoc- Talubin Road and Sullong Water Source in Barangay Bontoc Ili. However, the total production of these sources is still insufficient to meet the present water demand of the consumers even in a schedule basis.

Thus, with the additional water source coming from the top mountain of Barangay Talubin, officials in this municipality expressed high hopes that water shortage will no longer be a problem.

According to Engineer III Caesar M. Kalang-ad of the Office of the Municipal Engineer, the funding of the project was sourced out from various government agencies.  The first phase of the project was the P10 million downloaded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to the Bontoc Municipal Government which was implemented and completed last year.

Considering the terrain and distance of the water source to be connected to an existing pipe in Sitio Gasagas, Talubin, additional fund support is needed. With this, the municipal government was able to work out for a P7-million funding from the Department of Interior and Local Government under its Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig sa Lahat (SALINTUBIG) Program. 

To make the project will come into fruition, Bontoc Mayor Franklin C. Odsey together with the members of the Sangguniang Bayan lobbied for an additional funding from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) and the DILG.  In response, the municipal government was provided with a P10-million budget from the OPAPP while P3-million was given by the DILG.

Accordingly, this project entails a high project cost and longer time of implementation because of the location of the water source. With the length of the pipes, these have to be cut into three pieces and to be connected again when it reached the destination. Workers have to carry six inches in diameter width of pipes passing through the rugged terrain going up the mountain.

Mayor Odsey who trekked for more than eight hours going up the mountain and then going back to the road to personally see the implementation of the project said  once completed, the municipality will be able to meet the demand supply of water in the households, commercial buildings and institutions.