WATER SUPPLY CRISIS IN SOME FARMLANDS IN BUTUAN, AFTER FIRE HITS BIT-OS PUMPING STATION

BUTUAN CITY - Paulino Pontimar, a farmer, is distressed by the loss of water supply that has caused drought to his farmlands, after fire hits the Bit-os pumping station, Lower Agusan River Pump Irrigation System (LARPIS) of National Irrigation Administration (NIA), affecting areas in Brgy. Bit-os, Bancasi, and Kinamlutan.

Pumping station fire damage is estimated at P60 Million and has affected 1000 hectares of farmlands.

“…Kini siya ng unfortunate event ni siya na nahitabo last January 8, 2020 tungod kay naay nahitabo nga sunog sa atong control panel. Kaning control panel man gud is importante ni siya nga parte para sa atong paghatag ug irrigation sa patubig sa atoang Bit-os sa LARPIS, ” said Jane Huqueriza, PR officer of NIA Caraga.

(An unfortunate event happened on January 8, 2020, when the control panel caught fire. The control panel is an important part of our irrigation facility in Bit-os or LARPIS.)

For now, NIA Caraga is waiting for the installer from Japan to solve the problem.

The said agency has temporarily borrowed water pumps from their irrigation management offices to supply water to selected service areas that have water sources.

Meanwhile, NIA Caraga can’t guarantee as to when the control panel will be repaired, but they are hoping to fix it as soon as possible.