Cebu bulk water project to be completed this June

Chairman of Manila Water Company Fernando Zobel de Ayala is flanked by Manila Water project manager Jonathan Urbano and Carmen Mayor Gerard Villamor during his visit at the weir in Carmen town. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

A project aimed at addressing inadequate water distribution in some areas in the central and northern parts of Cebu is nearing completion.

Gerardo Ablaza Jr., chairman and president of the Manila Water Consortium Inc., yesterday said the Cebu Bulk Water Project worth P1.1 billion is expected to be realized in June this year.

By then, he said it will be ready to supply water to potential customers in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu and the towns of Cordova, Conslacion, Liloan, and Compostela.

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), being the water distributor for these areas, will be the major recipient of the water supply project.

The joint venture project between the Cebu provincial government and the Manila Water Consortium will produce and supply 35 million liters of water per day in northern and central Cebu.

“I hope in June 2014, we will come together to toast the water from Carmen,” said Ablaza during yesterday’s ceremonial signing of its P800 million term loan facility at Cebu City Marriott Hotel.

The Cebu Manila Water Development Inc. earlier contracted an P800 million loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines.

The loan is intended to support the remaining construction of facilities to be incorporated in the overall design of the Cebu Bulk Water Project. With the bulk water project, the Cebu Manila Water Development Inc. is hoping to address “the water supply gap against the customer demand.

“The shortage of water here in the Philippines is actually apparent. As soon as this project will be completed, we can supply MCWD with 35 million liters every day,” said Jonathan Urbano, project manager of the Cebu Manila Water Development.