WATER SUPPLY FOR THE CITY OF ILOILO ^ 



By George W. Heisk 



(From the Laboratory of General, Inorganic, and Physical Chemisry, 

 Bureau of Science, Manila, P. I.) 



ONE TEXT FIGURE 



Iloilo, one of the largest and most important cities in the Phil- 

 ippine Islands, is greatly in need of a municipal water supply 

 system, yet the problem of obtaining good water in adequate 

 quantities is rather complex. Most of the surface waters in the 

 vicinity are high in mineral content, and are of objectionable 

 taste, and the artesian waters are almost all brackish, high in 

 iron, and extremely hard. There is no suitable water available 

 for boiler use and no supply for fire-fighting purposes. A num- 

 ber of the residents have accustomed themselves to drinking the 

 water from the artesian wells, without experiencing any notice- 

 able ill effects; many construct large rain-water cisterns; many 

 have their drinking water carried from comparatively great 

 distances, either from surface wells in outlying districts or from 

 springs on Guimaras Island, across the straits from the city; 

 many obtain distilled water from the local ice plant. As might 

 be inferred, the situation is highly unsatisfactory. The artesian 

 waters are so hard and brackish that they are unsatisfactory 

 both for household and boiler use; the cistern supply, question- 

 able at best owing to its susceptibility to contamination, is liable 

 to fail during a long dry season; the waters carried for long 

 distances are subject to pollution, both at the source and during 

 transit ; the distilled water is expensive and is available only for 

 drinking purposes. 



For some years the Bureau of Public Works has been develop- 

 ing projects for supplying the city with water. Iloilo and its 

 environs, including Molo, La Paz, and Mandurriao, have a popu- 

 lation of approximately 55,000 to be provided for, hence they 

 would require, at a rough estimate based on the water consump- 

 tion of Manila, a supply of about 11,350,000 liters (3,000,000 

 gallons) per day. Thus far three main projects have been pro- 

 posed: (1) To dig enough artesian wells in the outlying dis- 

 tricts to develop a town supply; (2) to throw a dam across 

 Tigon River at Maasin, impounding an adequate amount of 

 water which could be piped to the city; (3) to get water from 

 the springs and upland water courses of Guimaras Island and 

 to bring it to Iloilo by pipes laid beneath the straits separating 

 the island from the mainland. 



' Received for publication January 29, 1915. 



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