MCWD: Lower supply from Jaclupan, Buhisan Dams

Lawyer Jose Daluz III, Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) Board chairman, discusses during a press briefing the latest developments of the MCWD. These included the  the drop in production of the Buhisan and Jaclupan dams. CDN Digital photo | Gerard Vincent Francisco

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Jaclupan and Buhisan Dams recorded lower production at least a month before the official summer season would begin. 

According to Engineer Edgar Ortega, assistant general manager for operations of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), the Jaclupan Dam is producing only 25,000 cubic meters per day, at least 8,000 cubic meters lower than its normal production. 

The drop has been rapid as the production was at least 29,000 cubic meters per day on March 19, 2020. 

The drop was at least 4,000 cubic meters in just 24 hours. MCWD attributed the drop to the increasing heat, reaching up to 31 degrees Celsius in the recent days. 

Buhisan dam is only producing 4,000 cubic meters per day, at least 5,000 cubic meters lower than its normal production. 

MCWD’S short term solutions

With this, the MCWD has already began to find short term solutions to avoid water shortage in the metro. 

Lawyer Jose Daluz III, chairman of the board of directors of MCWD, said the Mactan Rock had promised to supply 11,500 cubic meters per day starting the last week of March. 

The Philippine Water Resources Incorporated (PWRI) also committed to supply 5,000 cubic meters per day, while Cebu Manila Water Development (CMWD) is currently negotiating with a local government to develop an additional source.

Eight schools in Cebu City are also being looked into for groundwater extraction. 

Currently, the shutting down of wells in Consolation town reduced the water production of MCWD by at least 15,000 cubic meters per day.

20 trucks to norther cities, towns

To address this, Daluz said the MCWD would be deploying 20 trucks with 1,000 liter capacity each to the northern cities and towns of the province. 

Cebu City will also be deploying 20 trucks of 1,000 liter capacity to its northern barangays affected by the shortage. 

“That is a total of 40 trucks. At least the north will have water supply augmentation,” said Daluz. 

Ortega said the utility was looking for ways to ensure that the limited water supply would reach the end of the summer season this year projected to be on June 15. 

He said their target would be to ensure that there would be minimal shortages, rationing, or cutting off of supply in the summer. /dbs