By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD CITY – A significant potable water shortage has affected at least 5,283 families, or approximately 20,223 individuals, across 11 of the 19 barangays in Himamaylan City, southern Negros, due to a persistent drought.
Joeful Sombilon, from the Himamaylan City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office’s Research and Planning Section, announced on Friday that water rationing efforts are currently focused on Barangays Mahalang and Cabadiangan where wells have dried up by 80 to 90 percent.
Residents in some areas face a two to three-day wait for water from nearly depleted wells, Sombilon reported. The scarcity also extends to barangays Nabali-an, Mambagaton, Suay, Tooy, San Antonio, Buenavista, Cabanbanan, Libacao, and Carabalan, most of which are upland areas.
With no rainfall since December, these communities, which primarily rely on shallow and artesian wells, have been significantly challenged.
The provincial government of Negros Occidental has provided a water filtration unit to assist the Himamaylan City government in supplying potable water to the residents.
In response to the crisis, Sombilon noted, the Himamaylan City government has also sought alternative water sources and implemented water rationing in the hardest-hit villages.
Agricultural damage is also considerable, with the City Agriculturist Office reporting a loss of P12,064,923, affecting 381 farmers and 226.91 hectares of crops in several villages and the central barangays of 3 and 4.
Assessments are ongoing to determine if a state of calamity should be declared in Himamaylan City.
The city government has distributed seedlings for backyard gardening to impacted farmers and purchased water hoses to establish connections to water sources.
Sombilon concluded with a note of relief, citing the City Health Office’s report that no waterborne diseases have emerged amid the crisis.
