MCWD ready to roll out P1.9B for pipeline upgrade

THE Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) will spend P1.9 billion to improve services within its franchise area.

The amount will rehabilitate broken distribution pipelines and expand pipelines to areas that are still not being served. MCWD covers the four cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay and Lapu-Lapu and the towns of Consolacion, Lilo-an, Compostela and Cordova.

Moreover, the expansion project is also a preparation for the incoming water supply from the bulk water project of the Cebu provincial government and Cebu Manila Water Development Inc. by July.

Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara, MCWD communications manager, said the project expansion will start this year and will continue until 2020.

The P1.9 billion is sourced from the agency’s own budget. The money will be used to buy pipes and other items to rehabilitate leaking ones.

Traffic disturbance

MCWD warns the public of possible road congestion when they start excavating.

MCWD general manager Amando Paredes met with Liloan Mayor Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco last Wednesday to discuss their plans.

“We’re agreeable to the project, however, we stressed a few conditions. For example, the reliability of water supply, water pressure and provide water to areas in Liloan without water. Paredes promised to address all our concerns,” Frasco told Cebu Daily News.

The expansion will start in September this year in Consolacion, Lilo-an, and Compostela. When work in the three towns is completed, the expansion work will proceed in Mandaue and Cebu cities.

As of today, MCWD supplies 200,000 cubic meters of water a day, mostly from the groundwater wells. Only about 43 percent of the total population in its franchise area is being served by MCWD.

Rodriguez said the expansion has been on the pipeline, but it was only this year that they were able to allocate funds.

She said the expansion is based on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan of every town and city, and also taking into consideration projected increase in population and commercial establishments.
The total water demand is projected to increase to 416,000 cubic meters of water per day in 2020.

“This additional supply from the Carmen bulk water will not only answer the supply gap but will also mark MCWD’s shift to surface water sourcing which is more environment-friendly than groundwater extraction. To prepare for the incoming supply, MCWD will have to implement the P1.91 billion expansion and distribution improvement projects,” said Rodriguez.

MCWD proposed to hike the water rate by July when they start purchasing water from Ayala-led bulk water consortium. However their proposal is yet to be approved by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).