The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) assured there won’t be a water shortage this summer.
“In fact, we will have a momentary water surplus,” said Engr. Ernie Delco, acting MCWD general manager in a press conference last week.
Delco said that starting January MCWD has been sourcing surface water from the Luyang River in Mangitngit, Carmen town which produces 18,000 cubic meters of water a day, enough to supply more than 13,000 households and establishments.
Other MCWD sources are the Buhisan Dam which produces 10,000 cubic meters a day and Jaclupan Weir in Talisay City which produces 30,000 cubic meters a day.
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Delco asked hotels and establishments to avail of MCWD service so that groundwater would be preserved for the next generation.
“Due to increased groundwater extraction, salt water is slowly entering the aquifer,” he explained.
MCWD is launching its Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system next month to help dentify which areas in the province need service.
The SCADA was made possible through the MCWD’s twinning program with the Yokohama Water Co. Ltd. of Japan and funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Delco said the contract between JICA and MCWD for the P679-million project was signed last month.
MCWD supplies 202,000 cubic meters per day to more than 160,000 households in Cebu.
Delco said the SCADA system won’t be an additional burden on consumers.
He told reporters that the MCWD will pay P64 million for the project at no cost to consumers.