By Chris V. Panganiban
Inquirer Mindanao Bureau
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Public criticism of the Butuan City Water District (BCWD) and the city government has intensified as residents endure another round of water interruptions, prompting calls for greater accountability and a long-term plan to secure the city’s water supply.
In a series of social media posts, residents and civic commentators said the recurring shortages could no longer be treated solely as an emergency caused by dry weather. They urged the BCWD and local officials to disclose what measures had been completed and how they intended to prevent similar crises.
The criticism followed the return of BCWD’s “Oplan Sag-Ob,” an emergency measure that allows concessionaires to fetch water from designated distribution stations when regular service is inadequate.
While residents acknowledged the importance of water rationing during emergencies, they said the program should not become a substitute for reliable infrastructure and long-term preparation.
“Emergency measures should remain emergency measures. They cannot become institutionalized substitutes for infrastructure,” Luna C. Kaisog said in an online commentary.
Kaisog called on the BCWD to publicly present a comprehensive water security and drought resilience plan containing measurable targets, project costs and completion timelines.
The proposed plan should include projections of Butuan’s water demand, the condition of existing pumping stations, reservoirs and wells, possible alternative sources, additional storage requirements, watershed protection measures and targets for reducing water lost through leaks and other causes, she said.
Kaisog noted that BCWD had previously implemented Oplan Sag-Ob during dry conditions in April, when the daily supply from its bulk water supplier reportedly fell to 37.71 million liters.
The program and tanker rationing were suspended on May 4 after the total supply reportedly recovered to 60.88 million liters a day. At the time, however, the water district warned that another period of dry weather could occur.
The water shortage was also raised during Mayor Lawrence Lemuel “Law” Fortun’s first State of the City Address on Aug. 5.
Fortun said water supply remained the responsibility of the BCWD but disclosed that the city government had purchased three submersible pumps to help improve water pressure, particularly during dry periods. He acknowledged that these interventions would not be enough to solve the city’s longstanding water problems.
On Aug. 24, BCWD reported that the Taguibo watershed had experienced 23 days without sufficient rainfall. Streamflow had declined to about 42 million to 43 million liters a day, while the dam level had dropped to 3.58 meters—below the four-meter critical threshold.
The deterioration prompted the water district to resume Oplan Sag-Ob.
In another online commentary, Pensight Lab said responsibility for the continuing crisis should not fall on the water district alone.
It accused the city government of failing to exercise sufficient oversight despite years of unreliable water service, arguing that the BCWD’s institutional independence should not prevent local officials from demanding better performance from an agency providing an essential public service.
“If BCWD has been incompetent for so long, why has the local government tolerated it for so long?” the group asked.
It said chronic institutional failure without meaningful scrutiny had turned the water shortage into a broader governance issue.
Resident Allen Kenneth Pacis also questioned why stronger contingency measures had not been put in place despite earlier indications of a potentially severe dry period.
Pacis said the water shortage affected not only households and businesses but also hospitals and patients, including those undergoing dialysis who depend on a reliable water supply for treatment.
“This is not simply an inconvenience,” he said, warning that disruptions in essential services could have serious consequences for patients.
He urged the city government and other concerned agencies to shift from reactive measures to coordinated and sustainable solutions.
Another resident, Alra May Paquibot-Rubillos, described the daily difficulties experienced by households in subdivisions where little or no water reaches their faucets.
She shared a statement calling on BCWD to disclose where its investments had gone and what long-term measures it intended to implement.
The statement said access to safe water was a basic necessity and urged the water district’s management to adopt systematic planning, foresight and decisive action.
Karen Kenneth Bonotan, meanwhile, questioned the reliability of sources being used for Oplan Sag-Ob and asked what alternative arrangements were available should the present source become unavailable.
Bonotan also raised concerns about continued billing in communities such as Ambago, where residents reportedly received little or no water for extended periods.
She sought an explanation of claims that air entering water pipes when faucets were left open could cause meters to record consumption.
The claims regarding billing and water-meter readings have not been independently verified. BCWD has yet to publicly address the specific questions raised in the social media posts.
Residents said reliance on fetching stations placed a heavier burden on low-income families, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and households without vehicles or adequate water-storage facilities.
They noted that families with vehicles or enough money could transport containers, purchase drinking water or install tanks and pumps, while poorer households had fewer ways to cope.
The shortage also affects businesses, schools, hospitals, markets and other establishments that require a stable supply for sanitation and daily operations.
The social media posts urged BCWD to assess existing pumping stations and other facilities for possible rehabilitation, identify technically and environmentally viable water sources, expand storage capacity and reduce losses within its distribution network.
They also called on the city government and the water district to publish project timelines, expected additional capacity and contingency measures that could be activated before water levels reach critical thresholds.
The BCWD and the city government have not issued a detailed response to the criticisms and proposals raised in the posts.
Residents said temporary rationing remained necessary while the shortage continued but stressed that Butuan needed infrastructure capable of withstanding future dry periods.
“Oplan Sag-Ob can help Butuan survive another drought, but it cannot be Butuan’s permanent answer,” Kaisog said.
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