BUSTED LINE. Personnel of the Dagupan City Water District try to stop the massive leak along M.H. Del Pilar Street in Dagupan City, Pangasinan on Wednesday (Jan. 10, 2024). A pipe was accidently hit by a jackhammer during a road construction. (PNA photo by Liwayway Yparraguirre)
DAGUPAN CITY – The Dagupan City Water District (DCWD) is asking the contractor of the ongoing road project in this city for damages after a worker using a jackhammer accidentally busted a main water transmission line Wednesday morning.
In an interview Thursday, DCWD general manager Rizaldy Mandap said the accident on the water line located along M.H. del Pilar Street resulted in supply interruption and flooding in portions of the business district.
"They (contractors) should pay for the manpower, the materials, and the wasted water. It started at 11 a.m. and even at 12:30 [Thursday], the volume of water from the leakage was still huge. Hence there was a huge amount of water wasted and they should pay for it,” he said.
The mishap initially cut off water supply along M.H. Del Pilar Street, nearby villages, and the downtown area, where most establishments are situated.
However, the water district shut down all pumping stations in the city to fast-track the repair of the damaged pipe.
Supply of water was back by Thursday morning.
Mandap disclosed that the water district has included in its plans for this year the installation of isolation valves on transmission lines to avoid shutting down all pumping stations in case a line experiences a problem. (PNA)
