CAN-AVID, Easter Samar — Almost four years since the municipal government made a loan at the Land Bank of the Philippines for the construction of a potable water system, residents in this town are now wondering why there is still no water system.

This, as the town — especially its children — is facing health risks and the possible proliferation of water-borne diseases because of the absence of safe and potable water.

“It is dry, there is no water going to our faucets,” said Edilberto Grata, a former town official. “It is a total failure arising from a suspected anomalous transaction.”

To recall, the local government — through then Mayor Gil Norman Germino — signed a loan agreement of P220 million on 29 July 2020 for the upgrade of the municipal’s water system from Level II to Level III.

The loan was intended to provide and deliver a better, more efficient, uninterrupted and less expensive supply of water and reduce the incidence of water-borne diseases by as much as 80 percent.

Residents and town officials said that the upgraded water system would have benefited 16 barangays covering 2,360 domestic households, 127 institutional establishments and 190 commercial entities.

But after almost four years, the pipes that would have been used for the construction are stockpiled idle in a local government unit property and there is no sign board that would update the residents on the status of the project.

Last week, Grata and some concerned residents submitted a signed petition to the municipal council asking for an investigation on the accomplishments and status of the project implementation and the performance of the contractor handling the project.

“We, as taxpayers and residents of the municipality invoke our right especially because the project is loaned,” the petition said. “Time is of the essence for this project, LGU Can-avid will pay whatever the outcome of this project.”

The group said the continuous exposure of the pipes to elements may have already compromised the quality and strength of the materials and now need to be tested before they are laid down.

They are also asking the LGU to bare to the public any testing that could have been done by either the Department of Health or the Department of Science and Technology on the quality of water at the source to ensure that it is safe for human consumption.

The residents are urging the contractor to abide by the Government Procurement Reform Law that mandates them to put up a billboard indicating the approved budget, duration, source of funds and the name of the contractor.