LWUA takes over Marawi City Water District
THE Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) has temporarily taken over the Marawi City Water District (MCWD) in order to assist a struggling water district and ensure residents have a reliable source of water. This was reported by LWUA administrator Guiling “Gene”A. Mamondiong recently.
Mamondiong said the move was aimed at improving the management and services of water supply and distribution in the capital of Lanao del Sur — whose local water district has been beset with problems like delayed salaries and benefits of employees, unpaid supplier credit, low collection efficiency and defective pipes and pump facilities.
He cited that under the law, the national agency can take the reins of a water district in the event of default on duties by the latter.
In such a situation, as provided under PD 198 or the law that created LWUA, the agency may designate a water district’s employee or any person or organization to assume both the policy-making body authority and powers of management.
Mamondiong explained the purpose of the takeover was to oversee the expeditious completion of water projects and financial recovery of MCWD.
The LWUA chief also noted, other benefits of such a move like increased service connection, improved water pressure, and upgraded pump facilities – plus improved customer service and computerized billing and collection.
Dubbed as the summer capital of the south, Marawi is a predominantly Muslim city with a population of more than two hundred thousand as of 2020. Before the five-month siege of the city in 2017, MCWD had 3,648 connections covering 41 of the total 96 barangays in the city including the 24 barangays in the Most Affected Area (MAA).
