Magpet may soon have its own water utility independent and separate from the controversy-riddled Metro Kidapawan Water District (MKWD).

This was confirmed by Mayor Efren Piñol in an interview recently with radio station DXND of the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation.

Mayor Piñol however clarified that the decision to set up a separate water utility for Magpet has nothing to do with the MKWD controversy.

“We have always thought of setting up a separate water system that can serve majority of the constituents of Magpet since we observed that MKWD has limited service capacity in the area despite the fact that Bongolanon spring which is one of its sources is found in Magpet,” Mayor Piñol explained.

“We were lucky that in 2005, through the help and support of former Governor now Vice Governor Manny Piñol, we were able to get P15 million for a water system project from the National Anti–Poverty Commission (NAPC) under the Office of the President,” he said.

The P15-million Magpet Water Works System (MWWS), with a 13-kilometer 6-inch diameter pipeline already in place, was inaugurated last February 18 during which Mayor Piñol delivered his State of the Municipality Address (SOMA) before the Sangguniang Bayan and the people of Magpet.

The municipal government has allocated one million pesos for the provision of secondary pipelines in Barangay Poblacion which will be implemented by the Municipal Engineering Office.

The MWSS has its source at Pidlanan spring in Barangay Magkaalam, four kilometer from Bongolanon spring which is the source of MKWD. The spring is also the source of Barangay Ilian’s barangay water system.

Barangays Magkaalam, Tagbak and Poblacion will be the initial beneficiaries of the MWWS, with Barangays Kamada, Gubatan, Alibayon, Kauswagan, Del Pilar as targets for the second phase.

MWWS member consumers will be charged P10 for every cubic meter of water that they consume. There will be no minimum charge.

Eighty–eight individuals attended the first MWWS Pre- Membership Orientation Seminar conducted last March 13, 2008. Seminars are scheduled every Friday at one in the afternoon. Applicants are advised to get their application forms at the Municipal Budget Office.