“We used to fetch water from the neighboring barangay. And sometimes, when we arrive late, there is no water left for us.” Mary Grace Caido narrated the plight for most residents of Barangay San Jose Vintar, Ilocos Norte in the recent years.

Without access to potable water, residents of Barangay San Jose walk for hours to fetch water from the neighboring barangay. During summer, the spring supplying water to the neighboring barangay dries up. Residents would be left with no choice, but to fetch water from a nearby river which is not safe for drinking.

For years, the residents were plagued with water borne diseases. The Municipality of Vintar traces the cause of such diseases from the resident’s lack of access to safe drinking water.

Learning about the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), the Municipality of Vintar, Ilocos Norte took the opportunity to propose for a potable water system and put an end to the perennial problem of the residents.

With a total of 8,474 meters of transmission lines and 47 tap stands, the Rehabilitation of the San Jose PWS in Vintar, Ilocos Norte will serve 235 households. It is expected to decrease the incidence of water borne diseases by 95 percent; increase savings of medical expenses by 15 percent; provide 100 percent of the households with potable water; improve and protect sources of drinking water; increase farm productivity by at least 15 percent; and decrease time in fetching water from two (2) hours to 15 minutes.

“We are thankful for the PRDP. Now, we do not lose sleep and waste so much energy in fetching water. Also, we will have safe drinking water,” Caido added.

The Rehabilitation of the San Jose Potable Water System (PWS) is the first PWS subproject in Ilocos Region with a total project cost of Php3,989,426.01. It was completed in August 2019. (Ilocos InfoACE)