MCWD told to explain ‘water shortage’ in Mandaue brgys

The fire truck of Brgy. Alang-alang in Mandaue City was used on Maundy Thursday to delivery water to residents affected by the water supply shortage. | CDN Digital photo / Doris C. Bongcac

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The Mandaue City Council has requested officials of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) to appear in their next session to shed light on the water supply problems being experienced here.

Councilor Jennifer Del Mar, the chairperson of the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, sought the appearance of MCWD officials through a draft resolution, which the council approved during their session on Monday, April 1, following complaints of ‘water shortage’ in the 27 barangays.

Del Mar said she wanted to know what was causing the problem and what MCWD was doing to address this.

READ: Mandaue City prepares for strong El Niño

“Naproblema gyud sa water supply sa Mandaue. Importante jud kaayo ang tubig lately especially sa El Niño karon. We were hoping nga MCWD is well prepared on the matter,” Del Mar said in an interview on Monday.

Mandaue City Councilors are urging MCWD officials to appear in their next session to shed light on the water shortage now affecting the 27 barangays. | CDN Digital photo / Mary Rose Sagarino

Water shortage

Councilor Nerissa Soon-Ruiz said that she too was affected by the water shortage.  In fact, they barely had any water at home during the Holy Week.

Soon-Ruiz said that MCWD should have had their preparations in place for the dry spell.

READ: Dry spell hits: Cebuanos urged to save water

Meanwhile, she said that the Mandaue City government should already have its own water system that will make use of desalinated brackish water.

Several establishments in Mandaue City are also feeling the discomfort caused by water shortage.

St. John Paul II Cognition School in Brgy. Alang-alang is now using water that is supplied by the barangay’s fire truck.

They store water in containers placed in a corner of the school’s quadrangle for use, especially for flushing and the cleaning of its toilets.

Water was rationed to St. John Paul II Cognition School in Brgy. Alang-alang, Mandaue City at around noon on March 27, 2024. | CDN Digital photo / Doris C. Bongcac

On Maunday Thursday, residents in Burgos Street in Brgy. Alang-alang brought out their containers as they received water rationed by the barangay.

READ: Ahead of El Niño: Water rationing starts in some Cebu City brgys

Shifted to use of bottled water

Tochi Garcia, a staff of a salon in Brgy. Centro, said that they have shifted to the use of bottled water in their operations.

“Dili gyud ka sapar. Gamit kaayo ang tubig samot na naay magparebond, magpatina. Mopalit nalang mi [ug mineral water] unya mahal baya, unya ipasakay pa sa sikad,” said Garcia.

Russel Sildora, an employee of a law office also in Brgy. Centro, said that with the very low water pressure, it would take hours before he is able to fill medium size barrel.

READ: World Water Day: Here are simple tips to conserve water

“Kani gyud nuon nga linya hinay gyud ikumpara sa uban, pero okay ra ko kay gamiton ra man ni para map sa office.  Kaning agasa hinay kaayo, mao nang ig uli nako ig gabii pasagdaan nalang nako para mapuno ig buntag,” said Sildora.

Water rationing

Mayor Jonas Cortes, for his part, has directed the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) to use its spare fire trucks to ration water to the 27 barangays.

Delivery of water will follow a particular schedule, he said.

“Hinay gyud kaayo [ang agas unya] naay uban areas wala gyoy supply,” said Cortes.

CDN Digital tried to reach out to MCWD, but as of this writing they have yet to release a statement on Mandaue City’s concerns.