DOST Region VII and LGU collaborate, provide 24-hour water supply to residents of Siquijor

Posted on 05/08/2023 08:13 am
DOST Region VII and LGU collaborate, provide 24-hour water supply to residents of Siquijor image

A water filtration system for a safe water source of the barangay. The water can be safely consumed with the same value as the commercially available purified water. 

Barangay Pangi in Siquior used to have the same problem that some of the residents in Metro Manila areas continue to suffer - the limited supply of tap water to be used by households and establishments. 

Most residents had to sleep late at night to wait for scheduled water service and collect enough for the following day’s consumption. Sometimes, they have no choice but to collect rainwater to be used for household chores, such as toilet cleaning and laundry.

To meet the 24-hour water supply needs of Barangay Pangi residents, the local government of Siquijor solicited the assistance of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region VII and they signed a joint Memorandum of Agreement for the project titled "Science and Technology Support for the Upgrading of Water Supply in Barangay Pangi, Siquijor to Enhance Water Quality and Distribution Capacity" through its Grants-In-Aid Program.

DOST-VII conducted a Technology Needs Assessment in 2021 to determine appropriate interventions needed to increase the water supply, and with the results of the TNA, DOST-VII provided the following technological intervention: the installation of a solar-powered water pumping station as a backup during the day and during power outages, a water filtration system to make the water safe for drinking by economically disadvantaged households, an additional water storage system, and trained personnel to oversee the project.

Prior to the project, the Metro Siquijor Water District, the local water supplier, has limited water sources that cannot supply the entire municipality of Siquijor. With this, the residents of Barangay Pangi longed to enjoy sufficient, if not abundant, water supply like the other areas in the province. 

The solution came when the local government unit (LGU) of Siquijor learned of the barangay’s water needs and since Pangi has a good underground water source, the officials set aside a couple of million pesos to extract water. They devised a method of extracting water from deep wells using electric power pump and stored it in a tank.

The project made life easier for the residents who now enjoy a steady water supply for their daily needs. However, the water pump's capacity is only good for three hours of operation, the same as the tank capacity. But this intervention has already improved the water situation in the community, and there is still more to be done.

The DOST-LGU project was completed in December 2022, and the water system is now capable of supplying water to the community around the clock, and it will soon serve an additional number of households in neighboring barangays.

A sufficient supply of water made life easier for the residents of Barangay Pangi and improved their health and sanitation condition. Life indeed cannot exist without water, and it gets better with safer and easily accessible water supply.

Barangay Pangi is known to be the biggest barangay in the province in terms of population and land area. It is home to an estimated 300 households as well as public and private establishments, from hospitals to funeral homes. (S&T Media Service, Macbeth S. Dal, S&T Media Service, DOST-Siquijor PSTC)

Category: PRESS RELEASE