Making life miserable

Employees of the Commission on Elections in Manila were sent home at noon yesterday. In Caloocan, fights erupted among residents. Their problem: taps have been dry since Friday in many parts of Metro Manila. The water supply is expected to return to normal only later this evening, according to Maynilad Water Services Inc. Long queues of annoyed residents carrying pails formed at the few remaining sources of water, including fire hydrants, busted pipes and fire stations. Maynilad and local governments fielded water tankers. Water refilling stations made a killing.

At the start of a new millennium, residents in the country's main region are queuing up for water. What happened? A 3,200-mm water main in Novaliches, Quezon City that serves as the supply line to most parts of Maynilad's service area had to be repaired. Meiscor, the contractor, was supposed to be rushing the repair work for completion yesterday. But a butterfly valve that was being repaired at the corner of Tandang Sora and Quirino Highway was accidentally shut down. This built up pressure within the water main. At 8 yesterday morning, the pressure tore a hole through the huge pipe.

If that explanation from Maynilad is too technical, try this: workers made a mistake in their repair work and created bigger trouble. Are such mistakes common? In Parañaque, where Maynilad is laying pipes, the contractor has dug up, repaved and again dug up different parts of Sucat Road for the past few months. A leaking pipe is taking ages to repair. Motorists should brace for horrendous traffic jams when classes start this Monday and the monsoon season starts.

Accidents do happen, but when a major project promises enormous returns, the public is entitled to competent service. Maynilad should go after its contractors who fail to meet deadlines or bungle their work. There must be a penalty for those who make life miserable for millions of people, especially when it involves a commodity as basic as water.