Mactan Rock opens P15M desalination plant at MEZ

Water technology solutions provider Mactan Rock Industries Inc. has opened up its P15 million desalination plant at Mactan Export Zone (MEZ) to save the water shortage supply in the two economic zones.

Utilizing the pond water resource situated at the façade of MEZ-2, Mactan Rock is now supplying desalinated water to locators in the two zones, with capacity of almost 2,000 cubic meters a day.

Since the second quarter of this year, Mactan Rock has been supplying 6,000 cubic meters a day to MEZ-1 locators, 3,000 cubic meters a day to Mez-2 companies, while currently providing non-potable water requirements of 200 cubic meters a day to some companies in MEZ-1.

Non-potable water is used for manufacturing operations, cleaning, irrigation works, among others.

Mactan Rock Industries president and chief executive officer (CEO) Antonio Tompar said the company still has 300 cubic meter non-potable water available for sale to Mez 1 and 2 locators.

"We have been alarmed of the dire need of Mez 1 and 2 locators for water supply. That's why the company ventured into this P15 million desalination project," Tompar told The Freeman in an interview.

For MEZ-2 alone, the 44 locators are only getting 50 percent of its total water requirement of 2,500 cubic meters to 3,000 cubic meters a day, said zone manager Dahlia D. Luna in an earlier interview.

Of the 44 MEZ-2 locators, Lexmark International (Philippines) Inc., and International Wiring Company consume 50 percent of the total water volume supplied by Metro Cebu Water District (MCDW), forcing other companies to buy truckloads of water daily from the outside sources.

According to Luna, other companies inside the zone, have to buy truckloads of water daily at P150 per 2-cubic meters.

Because the process would not use seawater resource, Tompar said the company is not charging high per cubic meter rate to companies.

In Mez-2, Mactan Rock is closely working with AboitizLand, the developer of the zone to supply the bulk of desalinated water, to be distributed to its locators.

Water desalination is a technology process to remove water salinity and other water impurities to produce purified and clear water.

Cebu-based Mactan Rock is providing water technology solutions to over 350 industries around the country. It is the first company in Asia that introduced the desalination process, which will purify seawater turning it as potable water.

Among the company's biggest clients, include the Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort, Waterfront Philippines Inc., Coca Cola, Davao International Airport, Ayala Center Cebu, and Westin Plaza Hotel.