For more than four decades, residents of Panacan Relocation in Davao City relied on deepwells, water delivery trucks, and stored drums just to meet their daily water needs. Ever since the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP) began operations in 2024, families have been enjoying strong water pressure and a steady supply from the city’s water district- finally flowing straight from their taps.
Jerry Dagatan, a resident in Panacan since 1976, recalled their situation with water before: “Lisod kaayo sauna. Usahay maghakot pa mi sa Water District sa Bajada kung naa’y service. Kung wala, maghulat nalang mi kanus-a musirit ang tubig. Tulo ka drum muabot ug duha ra ka adlaw, unya doble pa ang gasto kay lahi pa ang pang-inom (It was very difficult before. Sometimes we had to fetch water from the Water District in Bajada if there was service. If not, we just had to wait for when the water would come. Three drums would only last for two days, and the expenses were doubled because we had to buy separate water for drinking),” Dagatan said.
At the height of the water interruptions, many families spent hundreds of pesos each week on drums of water, supplies that often ran out in just two days for households of five or six members.
Grace Olacao, who has lived in Panacan more than five decades, described how families even sacrificed sleep to catch water during late-night hours. “Sige mi ug atang alas dos sa kadlawon hangtod alas kwatro. Baliktad among adlaw. Matulog mi sa adlaw kay mag-atang mi sa tubig sa gabii. Mao na among giagwanta sauna (We used to stay up from 2 AM to 4 AM. Our days were reversed. We slept during the day because we had to wait for water at night. That’s what we endured back then),” Olacao said.
But in recent months, the difference has been night and day. Dagatan proudly shared how his family now cooks, bathes, and drinks directly from the tap. “Karon, sa gripo na gyud tanan. Usahay imnon pa gani. Mas lami pa sa distilled water, bugnaw pa (Now, everything comes from the faucet. Sometimes we even drink it. It’s even better than distilled water- cold too),” he said with a smile.
For Olacao, the change has been life-changing: “Karon limpyo na gyud. Wa na ko nag-mineral water. Gripo na ko diretso. Basta 24 hours siya nagsirit, okay na. Importante gyud ang tubig (Now it’s really clean. I don’t even buy mineral water anymore. I drink straight from the tap. As long as it flows 24 hours a day, it’s fine. Water is really more important),” she added.
Tangible Transformation
With the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project in place, Davao City Water District expanded service coverage especially to those previously underserved areas in District 2. This bulk water project, a partnership between Apo Agua and the DCWD is designed to deliver 300 million liters of safe water daily to more than a million Davaoeños. More importantly, the partnership allowed DCWD to increase service connections in the district, allowing more residents to have access to safe, reliable, and accessible potable water. From 8,600 connections in 2022, the number has increased to 21,000 in 2024 – an increase of 200%.
For communities like Panacan Relocation, the impact restores convenience for its residents. “Tubig is life gyud. Dili ta mabuhi kung wala. Sauna, kapila ka mugasto para lang makalaba o maligo. Karon, naa na gyud sa gripo. Mao gyud na ang pinakadako nga improvement sa among community (Water really is life. We can’t survive without it. Before, you’d have to spend so much just to do laundry or take a bath. Now, it’s finally available from the faucet. That’s truly the biggest improvement in our community),” Dagatan said.
