An agreement was formalized between Misamis Oriental’s town of Opol municipal government of Opol and bulk water supplier, South Balibago Resources Incorporated (SBRI) on Monday.

The deal, signed by Mayor Jay Francis Bago and SBRI president Cristina Isabelle Alejandro, includes a Level III water service in all of Opol’s 24 barangays, after a successful pilot test in two villages last year.

Following the deal, the municipal government and SBRI led a public consultation with stakeholders on its proposed operational framework and its rates on the same day.

During the consultation, Alejandro presented SBRI’s levels of service commitment, which include water availability and water quality.

The proposed rates under the SBRI partnership will range from a minimum of PHP200 per five cubic meters to PHP1,050 per 15 cubic meters. Rates will vary depending on the classification of customer accounts from residential to small, medium, and large commercial entities.

Under the Integrated Sanitation and Sewerage Infrastructure Project as adopted by the government, a Level III water system is classified for densely populated urban areas, which requires “adequate treatment” of water sources to pass the Philippine standards for drinking water.

The Department of Public Works and Highways requires a Level III waterworks system or individual house connections to include a source, reservoir, piped distribution network, and individual house taps. (PNA)