Jaclupan Dam’s infiltration basin is completely dried up because of the intense heat. | CDND Photo / Gerard Vincent Francisco
CEBU CITY, Philippines — There is a water crisis in Cebu and it needs to be addressed with long-term solutions.
On Tuesday, April 23, the Cebu City Council agreed to call on the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Cebu City Government to create a long-term plan in solving the water shortage in Cebu when the El Niño weather phenomenon strikes.
Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera raised the concern to the City Council following reports that the Jaclupan Dam in Talisay City, one of the major reservoirs that supply water to Cebu City, is only producing 9,000 cubic meters of water per day, or 24,000 cubic meters short of its original average of 33,ooo cubic meters per day.
Pesquera said the state of the water supply in the city is already alarming and since the El Niño is a recurring phenomenon, the city and the responsible agencies must provide long-term solutions to the water shortage.
More than 20 barangays in Cebu City are affected by the dry spell with the mountain barangays suffering the most.
“While I appreciate the efforts of MCWD to address the problem through water rationing, I have to suggest that the said water supplier should come up with a long-term solution,” said Pesquera.
She said the MCWD should prepare for the onset of the El Niño weather before it happens and find ways to ease the effects of this natural phenomenon.
Agreeing to Pesquera, the City Council agreed to raise the concerns to MCWD to create a long term solution for the water shortage, to the DENR to help the farmers in the mountain barangays, and to the city government to closely monitor establishments and residences if they are following the water conservation ordinances of the city.
On April 12, the City Council declared a state of calamity in Cebu City due to the effects of the El Niño weather phenomenon.
The city has since spent P27 million for the purchase of hoses and drums as well as financial assistance extended to farmers, whose crops were destroyed by the extreme heat. / celr