Bacolod mayoral candidate Alfredo “Albee” Benitez discussed with Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson a possible sharing of water sources of the province with the city.
Benitez said that he has been visiting the slum areas of Bacolod and he found out that about 70 percent of the households do not have a 24-hour water supply, probably due to the shortage of deep wells. When summer starts, the supply of water also diminishes.
Benitez said he is open to the idea of a bulk water supply for Bacolod City coming from the rainforests of neighboring local government units.
He said that PrimeWater, the distributor of water in Bacolod, needs a source of water and this is crucial so sustain the demand of the populace.
The source of water is in the mountains in the jurisdiction of the province, that is why it is very important that Bacolod and Negros Occidental have good relationship, for better resources for the better good, he added.
Last year, a water summit was held at the Capitol, and stakeholders discussed the state of water in Bacolod and the possible sources to answer the increasing demand that will come from the rainforests of Murcia, Talisay, and Bago.
A series of meetings and consultations will be held to further discuss the issue, Benitez said, adding that if he wins this coming election, the water situation will be one priority that he is going to undertake.
He said there should be enough water to meet the demand of more than 200,000 households in Bacolod./MML
