Around 1,500 residents here gained access to potable water supply with the inauguration of the 925 linear meters pipe-laying project of the Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) in Jaro district on Thursday.

The PHP7 million project will serve residents in Sitio Ilaya, Barangay Tabuc Suba, and Barangay San Isidro, including the Uswag condominium.

“This is just one of the projects that we rolled out. We still have ongoing projects in Barangay Lanit and four more in City Proper. Our target is to expand the water availability and service coverage here in Iloilo City,” MPIW chief operating officer Angelo David Berba said in an interview.

He said the project will be formally launched next week.

Before the project, most of the residents in the area were dependent on shallow wells, which were often prone to contamination and other waterborne diseases.

“Today’s inauguration is not just about unveiling a new piece of water infrastructure; it’s a testament to our ongoing efforts to bridge service gaps and advancing infrastructure projects that will foster community development and enhance public welfare,” Berba said.

In a statement, MPIW said it has already completed PHP25 million in service improvement and expansion for the city, including the newly inaugurated project.

It has five other ongoing projects with a total investment of nearly PHP400 million and an additional four to be rolled out this fourth quarter of 2024 with an estimated project cost of approximately PHP350 million.

The new pipeline will be added to MPIW’s upgraded water distribution network, which now expands to at least 26,000 linear meters.

MPIW serves 30,000 connections in Iloilo City, providing water to at least 150,000 residents.

The inauguration was graced by Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, Councilors Rommel Duron and Johnny Young, and Executive Assistant Raisa Treñas, representing Mayor Jerry Treñas. (PNA)