CDO seeks alternative water supplier, assures no cutoff

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The city government assured its constituents on Friday that water supply would continue amid the supplier's deadline to cut off its services.

In a media briefing, Mayor Rolando Uy said should the April 12 deadline set by the Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Inc. (COBI) be enforced for Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) to settle its obligations, the local government will tap another provider.

Uy said the city council will hold a special session to approve a no-objection resolution allowing the city to directly source its water from the Rio Verde Water Consortium through the COWD.

"I would like to assure the Kagay-anons that they have no reason to fear losing water even if COBI disconnects its service," he said.

COBI, which sources its water directly from Rio Verde, extended its deadline to COWD to settle its collectibles worth P426 million to April 12.

However, COWD said its board has not approved a resolution to pay the amount.

Councilor Edgar Cabanlas, co-chair of the Task Force on Water Supply and Distribution, confirmed in a radio interview on Friday that their fact-finding subcommittee recommended canceling the bulk water supply contract between COWD and COBI ahead of their submission of the consolidated report to Uy.

Cabanlas said they would send the report to the Commission on Audit to decide whether to file charges against those involved in negotiating the contract.

"We will also send the report to the COWD's board of directors because the main party involved here is not the city but the water district," he said.

Cabanlas said the COWD board might use the committee report to cancel the contract with COBI.

Under the contract with COBI, COWD will implement an incremental P3 increase in water rates every three years. (PNA)