JICA offers P1B grant to MCWD for waste water treatment facility

By: Dyrecka Letigio - 3 years ago

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. | file photo by Irene R. Sino Cruz

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is offering a P1 billion grant to the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) for the putting up of a modern wastewater treatment facility in Cebu City.

MCWD Chairperson Jose Daluz, III, confirmed that they met with JICA on October 7, 2021, to discuss this grant for a treatment facility at the North Reclamation Area (NRA) on a lot owned by the city government.

“JICA will grant to us P1 billion igasto na siya sa facility and other equipment. Atong iupgrade ang pagcollect nato sa atong wastewater. So we need the cooperation of the city kay siya ang tag-iya sa yuta nga atong tukuran, Cebu City man,” he said.

The building and operations of this wastewater treatment facility will be at no cost to the city, but the city will earn at least P8 per cubit for every volume of water collected and treated there.

Daluz said this is well advantageous to the city because the current wastewater facility of MCWD is just not enough for the amount of wastewater the city produces.

The facility to be built can accommodate at least 200 to 300 cubits per day, which should mean an income of P1,600 to P2,400 per day for the city.

Should the city government approve this project, the P1 billion grant will be downloaded immediately and MCWD can begin the construction of the facility.

City Administrator Floro Casas, Jr., said the city government supports the project and is very excited about the facility.

Since the city owns the property, the plan is for MCWD to lease on the property with the city government earning a portion from the operations.

“We will be releasing lease so that’s additional funds from the city,” said Casas. /rcg