Due to salt water intrusion: Maambong backs move to monitor private wells

A Provincial Board member has filed a resolution supporting the move of the Metro Cebu Water District urging the National Water Resource Board and the local government units in Cebu to monitor the operations of private wells to address the problem of saltwater intrusion into the underground aquifers.

Board Member Victor Maambong, chairman of the PB committee on environment and natural resources, said 50 percent of water supply in Metro Cebu came from underground water extracted by MCWD, while another 50 percent are extracted by private wells.

According to Maambong, it has been noted that saltwater intrusion has now gone as far as four kilometers inward barangay Guadalupe area and two kilometers inward Liloan town.

Alarmed by the worsening saltwater intrusion, MCWD called on the NWRB and the LGUs in Cebu to strictly monitor the operations of these private wells, which are reportedly responsible for saltwater intrusion.

Maambong said the move is intended to control the proliferation of private wells to address the problem of saltwater intrusion, adding that the failure to act on the problem may affect the water supply in Metro Cebu.

He also asked other PB members to support his proposal. - Jose P. Sollano