New chairman shows the path forward for MCWD

New water board chief tackles privatization, wells, saltwater intrusion, and alternative water sources

Jose Daluz III, chairman of the Metro Cebu Water District, says desalination, surface water, rainwater and even wastewater are among alternative water sources they plan to develop. (Irene R. Sino Cruz)

CEBU CITY, Philippines —With the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) facing supply shortage issues, the new board is poised to pursue several strategies to develop additional water sources. 

The new chairman of the board, however, ruled out privatization for MCWD.

MCWD Chairman Jose Daluz III, in an interview with CDN Digital, categorically said the board would not be amenable to a privatization scheme, similar to that being done in Metro Manila.

Read more: MCWD elects new top officials

The government-owned Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) had been supplying water to Metro Manila residents until 1997, when the government under the administration of President Fidel Ramos decided to privatize the water supply operations through bidding. 

Two companies, Maynilad Water Services and Manila Waters Company, were awarded separately the concession for west and east concession areas, respectively.

No plans to privatize MCWD

“It (MCWD) will never be privatized because mahostage ang atong mga tawo (the public will be held hostage). Because these are businesses imbued with public interest,” Daluz maintained. 

He said that private companies would always consider having profits when they would go into business while government’s primary concern would be that of public interest.

“The stand of the (MCWD) board is we will never privatize. We will ask the help of the LGUs (local government units) and the private sector but MCWD as a government institution will have to stay,” Daluz said.

He said that utilities, like water and power, must always have government intervention because the government was not for profit.

“It’s a mixture; not totally given to private nor to the government,” he added.

Bulk water, water demand

Some of the services, such as bulk water supply would be outsourced, Daluz said.

At present, MCWD only meets 43 percent of the total demand in eight of the 13 local government units in Metro Cebu. The water demand is estimated to reach 580,000 cubic meters daily, and the MCWD accounts for around 230,000 cubic meters. 

Its water sources include groundwater, through its wells, and surface water, through the Buhisan and Jaclupan dams. 

The Jaclupan facility is one of the surface water sources of MCWD. | photo courtesy of MCWD

The bulk of the water supplied by MCWD comes from private wells and other commercial extractors, which have been supplying the balance. 

This year, MCWD will get additional water supply from bulk water suppliers such as Mactan Rock Industries, which will supply around 15,000 cubic meters daily and the Danao City Bulk Water Supply, which will start delivering around 10,000 cubic meters daily in the second or third quarter.

Groundwater, saltwater intrusion

While groundwater provides lower-priced water, saltwater intrusion would eventually affect groundwater extraction. 

A study conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) found the saltwater intrusion had reached five kilometers inshore. 

This have resulted in the abandonment of several wells.

Water levels at the Buhisan Dam, which is one surface water sources of MCWD, rises with heavy rains brought by the rainy season in this 2016 photo.| CDN file photo

A JICA study cited the need to balance between recharge and extraction of water resources. The JICA study also noted that failure to conserve water would result in major problems in 2025.

The study also found that about 25 percent of MCWD well fields in Talamban, Cebu and Mandaue City would yield saline water in 2025 if groundwater extraction continues to remain unregulated.

Aside from saltwater intrusion, domestic, agricultural and industrial wastewater have polluted major sources of groundwater and surface water. 

According to the Environment Management Bureau, domestic wastewater contributes 33 percent of the pollution while agricultural and industrial wastes account for 29 percent and 27 percent, respectively.

Alternative water sources

The MCWD, however, has to find alternative sources of water to be able to meet the growing demand for water. 

According to Mega Cebu, Cebu province’s water demand would reach 330 million cubic meters in 2030. To increase water supply, an estimated P17.6 billion will be needed for water infrastructure improvements in Cebu. 

The MCWD will require around P15.3 billion investment of this total figure.

The growing demand for water has made it imperative for the MCWD to look for other alternative sources to address this increase in demand. | CDN file photo

Daluz recognized the need to find sources other than groundwater, but he said that they had no viable alternative water source at present.

“We have to stop this ground extraction because it has destroyed our aquifer; but the reality is we could not stop it now. But we have to make some steps towards that end, which is desalination, surface water and storm water catchment,” he told CDN Digital. 

More MCWD wells to meet demand

The MCWD is finding ways to add into its water sources to address the increasing demand of water in Metro Cebu.| CDN file photo

Meanwhile, MCWD would be putting up additional wells to meet an increasing demand, especially during the summer, as a stopgap measure, Daluz said. 

Read more: MCWD to seek water sources at properties owned by Cebu City government, Church

For the short-term, he said, it would be a mix of wells and desalination.

Read more: MCWD eyes in-house wells as additional supply of water

He also cited other alternative water sources such as rainwater impounding facility, surface water and wastewater. 

Groundwater remains the lowest-priced water source while desalination was more costly, he pointed out. 

“We’ll go into desalination, which is more expensive than surface (water) or ground (water extraction) but there’s an abundance of seawater. We would try to bring down the price of seawater or desalination by asking the assistance of local government units,” Daluz said.

MCWD’s desalination projects

He said that one of the capital expenditure for desalination projects would be the property where the desalination plant would be located. 

He expressed hope that the LGU could provide the subsidy and the property for the desalination plant projects. 

“We want them to be involved in the business of water,” Daluz said.

Read more: PWRI: Desalination plant in SRP can help alleviate Metro Cebu’s water crisis

At present, MCWD wells produce much less water than the 200 to 300 private wells operated by hotels and subdivisions, among others. 

“MCWD wells generate around 130 to 140 million liters daily (MLD). But the private wells produce 200 to 300 MLD,” Daluz pointed out.

Decommissioning wells

However, MCWD looks forward to the time when they can decommission their wells and which, hopefully, will also include the privately-operated wells. 

But this could only be done once Metro Cebu would have sufficient and sustainable water supply, which would not be sourced from wells or groundwater, Daluz said. 

The supply could be sourced either from surface water or desalination plants.

“Sometime later, we have to start decommissioning wells once we have a sustainable water source,” he said./dbs