By Nanette Guadalquiver
August 13, 2018, 8:01 am

BACOLOD CITY -- Thirty-six households in a far-flung village of Murcia, Negros Occidental have been provided access to water supply with the use of a solar-powered system.

SOLAR-POWERED WATER SUPPLY. Third District Representative Alfredo Benitez (3rd from left) opens the faucet of the reservoir tank during the turn-over rites and ceremonial launch of the solar-powered water supply system in Barangay Caliban, Murcia, Negros Occidental, with Mayor Andrew Montelibano (left), DOST-6 Regional Director Rowen Gelonga (2nd from left), TUP-Visayas campus director Eric Malooy (right), barangay and purok officials, and the beneficiaries. (Contributed photo)

The beneficiaries are 11 households in Sitio Mirasol, Barangay Caliban, which availed of the project when the pilot implementation started last February - along with 25 others in the surrounding area.

Third District Representative Alfredo Benitez, who initiated the project with various partner-institutions, in a statement on Sunday urged the residents to safeguard the facility as he looks for ways to replicate the project in other areas, where water is a scarce resource.

On Friday, Benitez led the formal turn-over of the small capacity solar PV (photovoltaic) pumping system and model unit developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Technological University of the Philippines (TUP)-Visayas, and the Western Visayas Consortium for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development.

The DOST provided the technology and the fund while the study was conducted by the consortium. TUP-V implemented the project.

The AID Foundation Inc. headed by Auke Idzenga installed a water filter for the facility.

TUP-Visayas research head Ace Zander Antonio said in his report the solar panel installed has a capacity of 300 watts that powers the submersible pump installed in the nearby river to pump up 1,000 liters per hour to a water reservoir.

The turn-over rites was witnessed by Murcia Mayor Andrew Montelibano, DOST-Western Visayas Rowen Gelonga, TUP-Visayas campus director Eric Malooy, Caliban village chief Antonio Luis Gonzaga, and purok president Rizalde Melchor.(PNA)