Since the early part of 1964, the coastal town of Mariveles had been suffering from lack of water. It’s not because the municipality had no existing water, it has, but the water system was built by the Americans by 1938 for the Quarantine Services at Mariveles Harbor. By that time, there was no rehabilitation undertaken for that deteriorated system. The water was not safe to drink and the design of the system cannot supply or is not sufficient to the increasing population of the Mariveles residents.

When the BEPZ established early in 1970’s, residents brought hope for a better water supply but it was in vain. BEPZ constructed a water system intended only to serve its enterprises and the residents.

On the year 1973 of May 23, President Ferdinand E. Marcos, promulgated Presidential Decree 198 (amended by PD 768 & 1479) authorizing the formation of water district to operate local water works system. This decree also created the Local Water Utilities Administration or the LWUA, to assist and provide for the needs of the water district such as financial (in terms of loans), technical and skills training assistance (in form of inspections, surveys of the water distribution systems, designs and constructions), institutional development (in training water districts’ personnel and provide standards for the successful operation of the water district). The prospective districts creation is materialized thru a resolution approved by the local legislative body. Public hearing is done prior to any formative action. It secures nomination for candidates for the district’s board of directors coming from the professional, civic, business, educational and women’s group of the community.

On June 7, 1977, the Sangguniang Bayan of Mariveles headed by Mayor Carlos L. Sarreal passed a resolution creating the MARIVELES WATER DISTRICT (MARIWAD) to take ones control of the old system. Appointed officials and members of the Board of Directors were created. Soon, an agreement was made with EPZA for the tapping of their line going to Talaga. But the tapping was not able to supply the entire town sufficient water. In spite of that, MARIWAD put up in strategic places water points wherein people can get and fetch water. The water tenders were assigned to collect P0.60/drum or P0.10/pail. Inconveniences were felt because “pila una, igib una” was the system. These develop the buy and sell states of the water districts.

After a long wait, December 5, 1977, LWUA issued a certificate of conformance to MARIWAD formally making the 48th member of the water district family. Soon LWUA granted the water district a loan of P6M to finance its Interim Improvement Program (IIP). 

On June 4, 1980, LWUA contracted PHESCO for the construction of MARIWAD system for a period of one year at a cost of P1.7M. Involved in the contract were the development of new sources, the installation of new main distribution and transmission pipes, metered service connections and fire hydrants and the construction of pump house and district’s office. Supplementary contract was drawn for the construction of reservoir for the amount of P660, 000.00 which bring the total cost up to 2.3M.
The work started on the same year but minor construction problems were encountered when the project was on its peak. The inability of the contractor to provide enough manpower to speed up the work, the bad weather condition, the delay in the arrival of construction materials and the installation of the motor pump.
Excavations everywhere, pipes of different sizes were seen lying on the streets, constructions workers, district inspectors and LWUA resident engineer were seen by the people that they are all busy in their own duty. Target: to finish the water system and to give water to the public. It is in this stage wherein people began talking about water rates, policies, rules and regulations, incentives and other intriguing questions. Thus, the district scheduled a series of information drive, communications and other means to satisfy the people’s curiosity.
At long last, on August 25, 1981, at 6:00 o’clock in the morning, the main valve of the pumping station was opened. Water started to flow and reaches the more that 700 concessionaires. It was like a coming of rain after a long dry spill that makes people very happy. The district became an instant hero. Little by little, MARIWAD began implementing its staff pattern and operational format to meet the growing number of concessionaires.




MARIWAD…ITS OPERATION STAGE

The past construction stage is the most challenging yet most rewarding. Problems regarding classification of concessionaires whether (a) to be charged as commercial or residential (b) zoning of all streets (putting an account number for each concessionaires) (c) water meter shortage due to growing number of applicants and other minor problems but with management effort, all had given a solution.
MARIWAD efficient operation was felt in the pilot areas of Poblacion, San Carlos, San Isidro and Balon Anito thereby giving an avenue to other barangays to petition MARIWAD to extend water service in their areas. After a few months, MARIWAD expanded its main line to Barangay Ipag, and Camaya.