The Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) formally launches on 13 January 2015 its non revenue water (NEW) reduction program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Be Secure Project and Coca Cola Foundation Philippines.
The grant, which is in the form of a technical assistance for NRW Reduction Strategy and Implementation, will enable COWD to develop, manage, maintain and update its own Geographic Information System (GIS) Database, carry out “hydraulic modeling” as well as design and form District Metered Areas (DMAs).
It is hoped to decrease the volume of NRW to an acceptable level, so that water produced will reach the taps and can be utilized rather than put be to waste.
COWD said, better management of NRW would mean improved water pressure, more water available for use and increased revenues for the water district that would redound to better quality service for the water consumers.
Currently, COWD is conducting survey in all facilities and customers within the focus areas to update its records and appealed for consumers’ cooperation on these surveys to be able to gather an accurate data.
During the course of the implementation, meter tagging, excavations and pipe-laying may also be conducted.
The implementation of the project was awarded to Miya, a global leader in optimizing urban water efficiency and is expected to be completed by 2017. By then, COWD is expected to continue the establishment of DMAs and implement the required improvements and make use of the various SOPs/manuals for NRW Management.
Meanwhile, present during the launching ceremony were Dani Newcomb, Division Director of the Office of Environment, Energy and Climate Change of USAID Philippines; Mona Grieser, Chief of Party of USAID Water Security for Resilient Economic Growth and Stability (Be Secure) Project; Cecilia Alcantara, President of the Coca Cola Foundation Philippines, and Ma. Catalina Cabral, Undersecretary for Planning and PPP, the Department of Public Works and Highways, among others. (COWD/PIA)
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