The Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD) has commissioned all its 21 production wells to augment water supply here amid the continuous decline of water level at the diversion weir due to the prolonged drought.

Teotimo Reyes, Water Treatment Plants operations manager, said on Tuesday the commissioning of the production wells has added at least 14 million liters per day (mld) of water into the distribution pipeline.

Reyes said the two treatment plants in Barangay Pasonanca, which contribute 70 mld “are off by 11 percent” bringing down its production to 61 mld.

Prime Water, which is supposed to provide 50 mld, is down by 20 mld or 59 percent underproduction.

“In summary, the whole production of the ZCWD today is 99 mld, which has gone down from 150,000 mld and is off by 36 percent,” Reyes said.

He expressed hopes of more rains in the coming days, citing the approaching low-pressure area based on the forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Meanwhile, Reyes said the tapping of the 70 hectares bog lake in Barangay San Roque as an alternative source of water is already in the pipeline.

The only hindrance, he said, is the presence of so many informal settlers near the lake who need to be relocated to another site. (PNA)