The Existing Water Supply System

MIWD water supply system has surface water as its main source, which is supplemented by ground water from the well fields in the Municipalities of San Miguel, Oton and Pavia. The network operates in a centralized system wherein the production efficiency is being determined on the reading of production meter at sources over the billed volume of the entire service area. As a result, non-revenue water (NRW) or systems loss cannot be pinpointed in a certain area. Likewise, monitoring as to the efficiency of a certain area in terms of operation, maintenance, collection among others could hardly be ascertained.
At present, the District’s NRW rose to about 40% but it remains a question what service area sustained the most of it. This problem has resulted to inadequacy of supply which, in most cases, compounded by unbalances systems pressure. Managing a vast service area like MIWD through a centralized system, requires a hard time and huge amount of investments the reason why it is recommended to decentralize the operation of the system into a smaller, manageable, compact areas wherein everything can be seen or reach at hand. This is where the idea of District Metering Area (DMA) came about.

What is to be done?

A. Decentralization of the Entire System (A District within the Water District) - Benchmarking

The service area of MIWD consists of seven (7) municipalities and six (6) political districts of Iloilo City. Water supplied in these areas came from either surface or ground water sources. The geographical location of these areas suggested the establishment of trans-boundary or benchmark which serves as respective Hydraulic Areas (HA).

B. Installation of Valves, Flowmeters/ Data Loggers & Booster Pumps - Metering

After establishing a benchmark or Hydraulic Area (HA), flowmeter/data loggers must be installed to account the volume of water coming in (supply/production) against the consumption (billed volume/out) including those that are used in maintenance activities such as flushing, repairs, hydrotesting among others. Any difference in the production (supply) and the billed volume (consumption) constitute an NRW of that particular hydraulic area.
Each hydraulic area is independent from the other through the installation of isolation valves. Water supply and pressure in the particular area can be monitored through flowmeter/data loggers. Any unbalance in systems pressure and supply from the other area is being addressed through valving system and installation of booster pumps if necessary (see typical schematic diagram on Figure 1).

Figure 1. Proposed hydraulic area

C. Establishment of District Metering Areas (DMA)

Basically, hydraulic areas can be subdivided into smaller areas called District Metering Area or zones (DMA). This area is established to ultimately define a more concise and closer picture of the system to precisely undertake monitoring and effectively addressing NRW. Similar to a bigger hydraulic area, DMA is also subdivided through the installation of valving and metering system to precisely and effectively account the volume supplied (production) and the volume consumed (billed volume). Any difference in the volume supplied (production) against billed volume constitute NRW of a certain District Metering Area.

D. Responsibility

Hydraulic Area and District Metering Area (DMA) is a conventional yet effective and economical tool in addressing NRW of the system. This entails interplay both of Engineering (operation & maintenance) and Finance (collection or billed volume).
The manager is in-charge of the whole affair (operation, maintenance, and billing/collection) of a certain hydraulic area working interdependently with the other areas in collaboration with the comprehensive objective of MIWD. This guarantees a pro-active action in operation and maintenance including establishing a closer contact with the potential concessionaires.
Efficiency of a certain DMA is being measured by establishing Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to include among others; service connections, reduction of NRW, supply/pressure, repair/maintenance and collection.

Rehabilitation of Iloilo City pipelines starts

The early part of the year will see the Iloilo City major thoroughfares full of excavation as MIWD undertakes the rehabilitation of its pipelines.

The rehabilitation program includes the installation of new transmission and distribution pipelines, including appurtenances, and the transfer of existing service connection to new distribution lines.

A series of excavation is now going on along Gen. Luna-Jalandoni and Delgado-Jalandoni streets. After this area, excavation will also be undertaken along Gen. Luna-Mabini-Delgado-Jalandoni streets, Gen. Luna-Mabini-Delgado-Jalandoni streets, and Gen. Luna-Valeria-Delgado-Quezon Streets.

Excavation for the Molo sub-project started at Baluarte-Lopez Jaena-Timawa junction. As soon as work will be completed along this area, another excavation will begin along Timawa-Infante Avenue-Baluarte junction.

The Iloilo City proper and Molo sub-projects are under contract by Patrilla Builders, Inc.

Jerry Guillergan, MIWD Project Manager for ADB-LWUA-assisted Small Towns Water Supply Project, said that the rehabilitation program will be completed in November this year.

He bared that as soon as the new pipelines are installed, all existing service connections will be decommissioned and transferred to the new distribution lines.

he MIWD rehabilitation project is intended to reduce non-revenue water as well as the operation and maintenance costs of the District and improve the level of service by providing adequate system pressure.

The people of Leganes will soon have their piped water available with the installation of new transmission and distribution lines for the municipality.

MIWD Project Manager Jerry Guillergan disclosed that the implementation of Leganes project will start in April this year and is expected to be completed in four months.

The project, financed at a cost of P 1.6 million, involves the laying of 13,013.70 linear meters of various sizes of transmission and distribution lines, including appurtenances, installation of new service connections and rehabilitation of the town's existing well source.

In another development, MIWD has requested the local government of Leganes to provide an equity for the project.

In his letter to Leganes Mayor Adolf Jaen, MIWD Interim General Manager Edwin Reyes brought up the request of the Water District for the municipal government to provide a 500-square meter lot as its equity share for the water supply development project in the said town.

The area will be intended for the construction of a 200-cubic meter elevated steel tank necessary to ensure balancing the system's pressure and a sub-office that will serve as an action center for the repair and maintenance of the system.

Reports reaching the Water District bared that the request is now in the table of the Sangguniang Bayan for deliberation.

Leganes was annexed to the service area of MIWD in 2000 by virtue of a Memorandum of Agreement signed by former Municipal Mayor Enrique "Ike: Rojas and former GM Moises G. Molen, Jr.