Metro Tuguegarao Water District Implements Water Safety Plan During Floods in Northeast Luzon

Water Safety Plan enables Emergency Response by Metropolitan Tuguegarao Water District during Floods in Northeast Luzon

Ninia Lumauan, Acting General Manager, Metropolitan Tuguegarao Water District, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan Valley, Philippines ([email protected])

On 1st November 2011, a Low Pressure Area in the Northeast Luzon has brought more than 400 millimeters of rain upon Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Apayao and Kalinga, provinces which were already affected by Typhoon Juan that hit the country on October, 2011. The aggravating effects of this continuous heavy downpour put Metropolitan Tuguerarao Water District (MTWD) into action and tested its preparedness in securing potable water security in terms of quality and availability for its consumers of about 28,000 households.

Tuguegarao City lies in a basin that is practically the catchment area for all water runoffs from Upper Cagayan Valley along the Sierra and Cordillera Mountain Range. After Magat Dam (in Isabela Province) released water into the mighty Cagayan River, a big part of Tuguegarao City was submerged under flood waters in less than 12 hours. In that span of time, two of the 16 pump stations of MTWD were under water and were temporarily shut down. MTWD has equipped all its pumping stations with stand-by generator sets, so that even at the height of power failure (which lasted almost a week due to the onslaught of the typhoon), continuous water supply was delivered, though at a lesser pressure.

Thanks to the Water Safety Plan (WSP) development process MTWD went through since April 2011, MTWD was able to respond promptly to the emergency situation. As provided in the MTWD Water Safety Plan, the following actions were put in process:

Step 1:  Annafunan Pump Station (PS) temporarily ceased its operations. Gate valves were closed, and check valves ensured to be in place preventing back flow from other pump stations.  Parabba 2 Pump Station was also temporarily shut down as strong current of flood water has scoured the foundation of the Pump Station and exposed a portion of its transmission pipelines. Step 2:  When flood water has receded, disinfection of the well at Annafunan PS was conducted and lasted for 24 hours, before it was tested safe by the Water Quality Officers and declared ready for pumping operation to resume.  Parabba 2 Pump Station resumed its operations after it was determined that the exposed transmission pipeline has no apparent leakages.

Immediately after bulletins that Magat Dam has released water, and impending flooding of low lying areas may occur, the media as well as the local executives, with whom contacts were established during the development of the Water Safety Plan in April 2011, worked together with MTWD and informed the public about safety precautions that should be taken like boiling of water for drinking (if unsure of its safety), proper washing of hands, and the immediate reporting to the Water District of any leakages that may occur. MTWD always maintains an “on-call” team that responds to any report that comes in, be it nighttime or daytime, whether it is Saturdays or Sundays and even during holidays. In the meantime, MTWD Production Services continues its diligent monitoring of chlorine residual and conducts microbiological testing of water from the consumers’ taps as part of the regular and routine functions.

MTWD has risen to the occasion of assuring the public whom it serves, that the water that flows into the consumers’ faucets is safe for drinking at all times as its WSP is in place. WATER SAFETY PLAN TRAINING WORKSHOP

Water Safety Plan Training Workshop conducted on April 27-29, 2011, MTWD Building, Tuguegarao City

PARABBA PUMP STATION

Scoured foundation brought about by Typhoon Juan and succeeding Tropical Storms BUNTUN BRIDGE, TUGUEGARAO CITY

View from Buntun Bridge: Swelling of Cagayan River due to continuous downpour and release of water from Magat Dam

ANNAFUNAN, TUGUEGARAO CITY

All roads leading to Annafunan Pump Station, Tuguegarao City were flooded