MCWD seeks help of Cebu City Council in water dilemma

MCWD General Manager Engineer Jose Eugenio Singson Jr. says the long-term solution of the water district is to find new water sources. | CDND Photo / Delta Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) has sought the help of the Cebu City Council to solve  the lack of water supply in Cebu.

In the executive session held on April 30, MCWD Spokesperson Charmaine Kara requested the council to ask the lawmakers in the national level to allow the private companies, which will be operating the desalination plant in Cebu, to buy power from the cheapest possible source so the price of water will not be gravely affected.

Kara said the desalination plants, which turn salty water to potable water, will supply at least 100,000 cubic meters per day from an unlimited source, the sea.

However, operating a desalination plant will result to an increase in the price of water per cubic meter since it will ran on high power requirement.

Allowing the desalination operator to buy power from the cheapest source will ease the price of water.

Kara suggested to the Cebu City Council to give incentives, including tax rebates, to private establishments, which have water-saving features such as low-flush toilets and efficient shower heads.

READ Cebu City Council: “We need long-term solutions to Cebu’s water shortage”

For social aspects, MCWD also hopes that the city can help educate the public and encourage them to recycle and use water wisely.

“We hope the city can actively promote rainwater harvesting and enforce ordinances more strictly. There should also be more legislation making water conservation a way of life for the residents,” said Kara.

MCWD revealed that the supply of water in Metro Cebu is currently at 195,000 cubic meters per day compared to its normal supply of 230,000 cubic meters per day due to the El Niño weather phenomenon.

However, the normal supply of 230,000 cubic meters per day  is far from Metro Cebu’s daily demand of 400,000 cubic meters per day.

According to MCWD General Manager Engineer Jose Eugenio Singson Jr., the long-term solution of the water district is to find new water sources from the Mananga Dam and Lusaran Dam.

The bidding for the construction of the Mananga Dam will begin after the May 13 elections in the hopes to increase the water supply in Cebu after six years. The Mananga Dam is expected to produce 80,000 cubic meters per day.

After the processing of Mananga Dam, bidding will commence on the Lusaran Dam which is expected to supply another 40,000 cubic meters per day.

However, Singson said they are looking into the desalination plant to be established in Mactan to provide an independent source of water in the highly-urbanized island separate from mainland Cebu.

There is also a chance that a desalination plant will be built either in Liloan town or Talisay City. / celr