DAVAO DEL NORTE (PIA) -- Tagum Water District (TWD) officials have echoed their appeals to landowners to grant road right of way at it stretches water pipelines to serve more communities with potable water supply.

Board of Directors chairperson Arlene J. Adlawan of TWD during the recent One Davao Presser- Davao del Norte edition, called on landowners located near its pipelines to donate a parcel for the TWD pipes to cross to target communities .

She was particularly referring to areas in barangays Libuganon, Bincungan, and Busaon, which TWD targets to reach through its mainline along the national highly at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and through its pipeline in Bacuring, Brgy. San Isidro.

“We have the resources. Ang amo nga mapasabot namo sa mga donors sa road of right of ways nga maa-gian ang atong mga pipes, hanghyo mi i-donate na ninyo ang mga yuta nga maagian sa mga tubo aron smooth ang dagan ug daghan ang maka-enjoy sa maayong suplay sa tubig  (We would like the donor of the road-right-of-way to  donate the land where the pipes would be crossing to set a smooth flow and to make more [households] enjoy good water supply),” she said. 

Mula said TWD had penetrated only 78 percent of the population of Tagumenyos, however, it was able to set a service connection growth of more than 47 percent every five years since 1985.

TWD has tied up with the Tagum Water Company, Inc. from which TWD has been  sourcing the 66 percent water supply for its concessionaires,  while drawing the 34 percent supply from its existing  deepwells. 

To widen its service, the BOD of TWD is looking for means to bring down the current water connection fee at P3,500.

“We will review the old policies and computations of the materials needed;  gipangitaan nato pamaagi (we are looking for ways),  in that way, maka-enganyo ta ug mga (we can encourage)  concessionnaires,” Adlawan said. 

She said that the management and the Board of Directors have continuously exerted effort to improve water services by upgrading the whole system including the replacement of decades-old pipes.

She also assured investors of well calibrated and accurate readings of water meters through the TWD five-year water meter replacement program. (JMDA/ PIA Davao del Norte)