Aside from being a tourism destination, the Kawasan falls in Badian town is also being considered as a potential source of water for Metro Cebu residents. /CDN File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Waterfalls and rivers found in the southern part of Cebu province could be a good source of water to address Metro Cebu’s water problems.
Cebu Governor-elect Gwendolyn Garcia said that local officials do not have to go far in finding a solution to Cebu’s water woes.
“We have a lot of water here and it is a matter of recognizing our resources and directing them to areas where these are needed,” Garcia said.
Garcia, who will assume as Cebu governor on June 30, said they are looking at the possibility of tapping the waterfalls and rivers in Cebu’s southern towns to augment the existing bulk water supply in the province.
The existing partnership between the provincial government and Manila Water, which developed a P1.1 billion water system in Carmen town in northern Cebu, may also be replicated in the south, she said.
Read more: Manila Water bags P700M Cebu water project
The Carmen water system joint venture project which Garcia inked with Manila Water in 2012 produces 35 million liters of water per day.
“There is already a working solution that we were able to do with the Luyang river in Carmen. Is it being implemented now? Yes. Is it enough? No. That is why we are going to tap other sources as the Kawasan falls perhaps, in Badian or look into the rivers in the western part of Cebu,” said Garcia.
Read more: Carmen bulk water supply project to service Cebu in June
“All of these may now be tapped in order to address the need for Metro Cebu and other places that need water systems, the barangays taking water from deep wells when we have a lot of surface waters,” Garcia added.
Aside from engaging in another water system project with Manila Water, Garcia also wanted explored the possibility of bringing water to areas not yet covered by the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD)./dcb