By JEN BAYLON

The Negros Occidental provincial government’s P1.2 billion bulk water project is legally viable even though the Silay City government has yet to issue a Resolution of No Objection (RONO) for the project, Atty. Jessa Genteroles, provincial public-private partnership focal person, said yesterday.

However, Genteroles said they are eager to obtain the RONO to ensure a smooth process in the bidding.

“We want the project to be smooth as it goes along the process of development,” Genteroles said.

Despite concerns about water availability, Genteroles said Silay has enough water resources for the project without compromising the needs of its residents.

“They have enough water because we were able to get a certificate of water availability from NWRB [National Water Resources Board],” she said.

“This is the first thing that we secured before we proceeded with identifying whether the project is viable or not,” she added.

Genteroles said the provincial government is in the process of securing a water rights certificate for the bulk water project.

She hopes that it will be granted soon.

Ten private bidders are set to submit their proposals for the project on June 27 at the Provincial Capitol’s Function Hall.

Meanwhile, Silay Mayor Joedith Gallego suggested that the project would only tap the Malogo River as a water source.

“Ang mga pumuluyo nagapamalabag gid,” Gallego said, citing concerns about the availability of water in the Imbang River.

“Ang sa Imbang indi gid kami magpakuha, pero pwede sila makakuha sa Malogo kay wala na ‘to ‘ya problema,” Gallego said.

Gallego said earlier the project could affect the water supply from the Imbang River, which is already experiencing a decline in water volume.

The project aims to provide 34.5 million liters of reliable and sustainable supply of clean water in Negros Occidental cities of Talisay, Silay and Victorias, as well as the municipalities of E.B. Magalona and Manapla, and capital Bacolod City./JB, WDJ