Mayor Raisa Treñas has demanded clear answers from Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) after questioning the company’s claims of expanded production capacity and service coverage, saying Ilonggos remain without sufficient and reliable water five years into the joint venture’s operations.

In a letter to MPIW Chief Operating Officer Angelo David Berba, Treñas asked when the supposed 80-million-liter-per-day (MLD) increase in water production — from 30 MLD pre-joint venture to 110 MLD at present — actually took effect.

“Since when did this happen? Many Ilonggos still cannot experience a reliable, sufficient, and uninterrupted water supply,” Treñas said.

The mayor pointed out that in just her first 45 days in office, she has already received a flood of complaints through letters, chats, and text messages from residents struggling to secure their daily water needs.

“Many are forced to spend extra just to secure their daily water needs, proving that no water is the most expensive water of all,” she stressed.

Treñas also cast doubt on MPIW’s press releases, noting a glaring mismatch between the figures being touted and the company’s own status reports.

MPIW recently announced that its served population has reached more than 250,000. But according to its August 3, 2025 status update, only 46.76 MLD of supply is available, serving just 30,872 water service connections — or 31 percent of Iloilo City’s more than 150,000 households, and not even on a 24/7 basis.

The mayor pressed MPIW to provide in “plain and specific terms” its strategy for cutting down non-revenue water (NRW) losses, which continue to eat up much of the supply. She asked the company to state exactly how many MLD it can deliver to Iloilo City and to lay down both ongoing and planned projects that would make this commitment possible.

“These commitments must be put in black and white, with clear targets for lowering NRW and increasing MLD supply, so the public can see and measure progress,” Treñas emphasized.

She also called on MPIW to present a definite timeline for when Ilonggos will finally enjoy sufficient and dependable water service.

“Iloilo City cannot and will not settle for half-measures. I expect MPIW to match the City Government’s determination in making sure every Ilonggo household has dependable access to clean and safe water, because our people deserve nothing less,” she said.IMT