In compliance with the Local Water Utilities Administration Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 002-23, MTWD developed and adopted its 2023 El Niño Action Plan as its guide in mitigating the effects of the El Niño phenomenon. The plan was also submitted to the El Niño Task Force of the Cagayan Provincial Government and was incorporated in the provincial contingency plan.
The MTWD El Niño Action Plan provides contingency measures and activities of the District which includes proactive communication and information drive on the responsibilities of concessionaires, Do’s and Don’ts regarding water meter and other obligations set forth in the water guide for consumers. The plan also enumerates activities including the posting of infographics on water conservation and conducting of marketing campaigns to encourage applications for water service connections.
The plan also identifies contingency measures to ensure the adequacy of water supply during the El Niño phenomenon such as operating standby production wells, commissioning of newly developed ground wells and upgrading of pumps in selected production wells. Addressing and repairing leakages is also a focus area of the plan. The public is encouraged to immediately report known or suspected leaks to enable the District to immediately respond.
Old mainlines that have reached their useful or economic lifespan are also identified for proper assessment. Factors such as current demand in the area and the consumed lifespan of the pipes are considered in determining whether repair is still viable or if replacement or upgrading is more feasible. This is exemplified in the case of the Parabba-Alimanao transmission line, where evidence of water losses is verified through the significant difference in the volume of transmitted water in Parabba compared to the volume of input water in the Alimanao reservoir. While several leakages and illegal connections have been properly addressed, the laying of a bigger transmission pipeline is deemed necessary to accommodate the demands of the extensive development in the area.