MCWD says no new lines in El Niño-hit barangays

Acting General Manager Jorge Gabriente of MCWD answers questions from the media on Metro Cebu’s water supply along with Charmaine Kara, public affairs head of MCWD. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) suspended installation of new connections to 27 areas in Metro Cebu which have yet to recover from last year’s El Niño dry spell.

“Our stand here is we want to protect our existing customers so that they will not experience less service hours. We also don’t want to add more customers as inadequate water has also been experienced in those areas,” said Charmaine Rodriguez Kara, public affairs head of MCWD.

These 27 areas in Metro Cebu include Kasambagan, Lagtang and Lagtang road in Talisay City; East Capitol Site, entire Lahug, entire Apas, Banawa, Minoza road (from San Jose up to Pit-os Talamban), Kamputhaw (upper), Maria Luisa Village and Sitio Bas (Banilad) and Barangay Guadalupe of Cebu City.

In Lapu-Lapu City, those affected were Punta Engaño, Maribago and Marigondon.

For Cordova, areas included were Barangays Gabi, Poblacion, Babag 1 and 2, Calawisan, Agusan, Suba Basbas, Suba Panas, Pilipog, Day-as, Buagsong, Catarman, Ibabao and Alegria.

In Liloan, Barangays Tagaytay and Calero are affected. MCWD will lift the suspension once the water supply in these areas returns to normal.

“The water supply there is not 24 hours. We have store advisory for this areas during off peak hours (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.),” Kara said.

Kara said they also allowed temporary disconnection for existing service connections without fees for reconnection within the year after the suspension is lifted.

During the height of El Niño last year, MCWD recorded 22,755 cubic meters per day in production deficit which is higher than the 18,927 cubic meters deficit per day in 2015.

At present, the MCWD’s daily capacity is set at 230,000 cubic meters, but they are now producing 225,000.

MCWD provides 42 percent of Metro Cebu’s daily water consumption of nearly 400,000 cubic meters, with the rest provided by private suppliers.

Since March 1, the Buhisan Dam in Buhisan, Cebu City has reduced its 7,000 cubic meters supply per day to 2,000 cubic meters per day.

Kara said the lack of rainfall in the past months resulted to a fluctuating water supply for Metro Cebu.

The Mactan office of the state weather bureau Pagasa recorded 41.1 millimeters of rainfall last month which is below its normal average of 77.8 millimeters.

But Kara said there is still a chance that Buhisan Dam can recover if there is more rainfall this March.