BRUWASA
With an initial funding assistance of Php. 3.2 Million from the European Economic Development Community through the Bicol River Basin Development Project (BRBDP), the Barangay Waterworks Association was established in 1983 to provide several Barangays in Baao with potable drinking water. Registered in 1986 with Rural Waterworks Development Corporation (RWDC) under the name Baao Rural Waterworks and Sanitation Association (BRUWASA) it facilitated in providing water service with its sole Pumping Station located at Brgy. Buluang, with facilities constructed and implemented under the Project Management Office (PMO) of the Ministry of Public Works and Hi-ways.
Birth of BWD
By virtue of a Presidential Directive, in 1987 the RWDC was dissolved with its functions and mandate transferred to Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) in line with Presidential Decree 198, forming the Baao Water District with LWUA Certificate of Conditional Conformance NO. 313. With BWD under the LWUA, it had started with various rehabilitation and expansion projects of providing its service to additional Barangays.
For almost 17 years, BWD had maintained providing its services with just Buluang Pumping Station as its sole water source. With the increasing demand for potable water supply of its existing service area and other adjacent Barangays, in 2002 and 2003, BWD was able to commission two (2) additional Pumping Stations located at Brgy. San Juan and Agdangan respectively, addressing the future water demand for this municipality and also with other adjacent municipalities in need for reliable water supply.
Starting small
With the current thrust of BWD to maximize its operation with minimal manpower, it had successfully implemented the full automation of all its pumping stations, cutting its cost to operate but not compromising its services to its concessionaires.
The year 2006 had witnessed an abrupt financial transformation of BWD with its full operation of the Baao – Nabua Interconnection Project. The extended supply of BWD of potable water supply to Nabua Water District had resulted in the mutual benefit to both water districts.
With this year’s projections, BWD will aim further to be re-categorized from almost 20 years as a small water district aspiring to become the newest medium water district surpassing the number of connection of more than 2000 households, 94% collection efficiency and with an anticipated annual gross income of close to 20 million. With the implementation of Agdangan- Buluang Interconnection Project, the existing 3 pumping stations in Brgy. Buluang, Brgy. San Juan and Brgy. Agdangan had finally joined together to operate complimentarily with each other maintaining stable and uninterrupted water supply for its concessionaires.
Evolution, Innovation
In the middle part of 2009, Baao Water District has commissioned another water supply source at an abandoned well for almost 10 years at barangay San Vicente which included the construction of a 100 cu.m. steel ground reservoir and the implementation of the final interconnection of pipelines which connected barangays Bagumbayan, San Vicente, La Medalla, and Salvacion. The primary effect of the construction and commission of said facilities had ensured stability of water supply service to the upper barangays of the Poblacion of Baao.
Putting more dignity to the establishment of Baao Water District, the construction of Baao Water District Corporate Center will further enhance the dignity of a government office in the locality of Baao, Camarines Sur. The Baao Water District Corporate Center is a benchmark in the aims of the government in putting frontline public service into a sphere of professionalism and dynamism of each public servant.
Further, Baao Water District continuously goes beyond its own territorial boundaries that efforts to extend the water supply to adjacent barangays beyond the territorial jurisdiction of Baao proves firmly that the basic human need of water should be extended to end deprivation of areas without the supply of potable, safe, reliable and stable water supply.
Baao and beyond
With the eminent acceleration of Baao Water District from a small water district category towards the medium water district category puts further proof that the Baao Water District had reached its heights in competitiveness to provide an excellent water supply for those who need most.
In the coming years, Baao Water District having been firmly committed to provide water supply to waterless communities will materialize through the implementation of the water supply extension project to adjacent barangays within the Municipality of Bula, Camarines Sur. This further promotes the capability of Baao Water District to extend its services and promote the primary health concerns of the locality through the provision of potable, efficient, reliable and dependable water supply.
For more than ten years, Baao Water District had firmly stood on its commitment of maintaining the water supply service with optimum efficiency but with the concern of affordability. If the present operation of Baao Water District remains to be sustainable and efficient with its day to day operational requirements, BWD will strive greatly to maintain the present level of optimum service with utmost consideration to the cost of delivering its services to its concessionaires.
Soon, Baao Water District, with its dream of becoming one among the best water districts in the Philippines, will farther strive to complete and willingly compete the establishment of additional facilities to improve its water supply for its concessionaires while providing avenues for training and recreation for its employees which will soon become a future model as a water utility company.
