25,000 Maguindanao town residents to get safe drinking water

• Source:http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=897135
• Tuesday, June 21, 2016

(PNA), FFC/NYP/EOF

DATU SAUDI, Maguindanao June 21 (PNA) -- The 25,233 residents of this town have long been waiting for safe and potable drinking water.

The recurring armed hostilities involving Moro bandits and government forces made life very difficult for inhabitants, especially in evacuation centers.

But within the next 18 months, this problem will be considered a thing of the past, according to Engineer James Mlok, chief of the Second District Engineering Office (DEO) in Maguindanao.

Mlok said Datu Saudi Ampatuan, more popularly known as "Pink town" because it is the dominant color of houses, places of worships and the municipal hall. It is also the favorite color of Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom.

Engr. Don Loong, Department of Public Works and Highways regional secretary in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DPWH-ARMM), said the town will soon have water supply facility in yet another infrastructure project complementing the Southern Mindanao peace process.

Loong said Datu Saudi shall be included in areas that are to be provided by the ARMM government with water supply facilities using the regional government’s 2017 infrastructure subsidy.

He said the town has mountain springs that can be tapped to supply water to peasant enclaves in low-lying areas.

Loong said a research firm, the Woodlands Consultancy, have already started study on the viability and costing of the planned “level 3” water supply projects in Datu Saudi.

He explained that a “level 3” water system is one that is built right at the source, designed to supply clean, potable water to households.

On the other hand, Levels 1 and 2 water supply facilities are those from where villagers can fetch clean water which they can bring home for drinking and cooking using containers.

"We will bring the water to peoples' homes," Loong said of the project.

Once completed, the Datu Saudi Ampatuan water project will be region's 51st water supply facilities built in the past four years.

ARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Engr. Mlok said his office has already identified large mountain springs that can be tapped as supply water sources. Today, villagers use gravitational downstream force so water from springs could reached their homes or roadsides where they can fetch drinking and water for washing.

Mlok said his district has PHP20-million budget allocation for water systems until 2017.

Mayor Dimaukom has lauded the DPWH-ARMM and REgional Gov. Mujiv Hataman for including his town as among the priority areas for water project.