CAGAYAN de Oro City — Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) on Wednesday appealed to its water bulk supplier to spare residents from the water rate payment dispute and bring the case to arbitration. 

General manager Engr. Antonio Young said residents of Cagayan de Oro (CdO) should be assured of a steady water supply despite the ongoing water rate payment controversy. 

“At the end of the day, the public shouldn’t be inconvenienced by a disconnection of water service by COBI (Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Inc.),” he said.

Earlier Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy proposed a neutral “independent third party” to help resolve the ongoing dispute.

“We have a local chapter of certified public accountants even a group of retired judges that can help find ways to solve this problem,” the mayor said.

He also reiterated that he won’t lift his declaration of a “state of emergency” in the city until the threat of disconnection by COBI remains. 

The mayor also refuted an allegation by COBI as contained in a letter by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) that the city police made a “forced entry” into the facilities of Rio Verde Water Consortium Inc. in Barangay Indahag. 

This came following COBI’s letter to Rio Verde confirming their disconnection of service to COWD effective 12 a.m. of May 1. 

He said policemen remained outside Rio Verde’s facilities in Barangay Indahag as a deterrent against saboteurs wishing to exploit the situation between COWD and COBI. 

“It’s the government’s responsibility to ensure that public welfare will not be compromised,” Uy said.