Many in Metro Cebu buying expensive water

While MCWD consumers are worried about the price increase when they are paying around P15 to P20 per cubic meter of water, 61 percent of the total households in Metro Cebu not being served by MCWD are paying P150 per cu. m.

Records show that only 39 percent of the total households in Metro Cebu are served. This does not include underserved areas where water is not available 24 hours a day.

Unserved areas buy water for as high as P150 per cu. m. from unsafe sources, water tankers and so called "taro-taro."

In a weekly 888 News Forum at Parklane Hotel yesterday, Raul Ruiz, the president of United People's Organization of Visayas, Inc. said that there is a big shortage of water supply especially in the areas they visited in Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova town.

Cordova Homeowner's Association President Praxedes Arong also said only 70 households in the municipality have MCWD connections and the rest are buying water from other sources.

Arong said that they are paying more than what MCWD is now imposing since they are paying water carriers from far places and they are not even sure of the safety of the water they are buying.

Ruiz has called on the concerned agencies to fast track the implementation of the Carmen Water Bulk Project to address their needs as their voices get drowned out by big interest groups.

Meanwhile, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia was dismayed over the deferment of the proposed ordinance covering the creation of the provincial water authority saying that the matter is urgent. The proposed ordinance was discussed during the Provincial Board's regular session last Monday afternoon.

"There's a lot of wrangling, bickering and confusion as regards the present situation, and especially where bulk water proponents or suppliers are proposing to draw water from our towns and yet it is the agencies in Manila that seem to be dictating the terms of reference," she said.

On the statement of PB member Antonio Almirante Jr. on the need of the water cooperatives operating in the towns to be consulted first on the proposed ordinance, the governor said the PB missed her point.

She said what the province will be creating is a water authority that seeks to encourage bulk water suppliers to invest in the setting up of bulk water supply through which they will be dealing with the Province of Cebu, which will play the role of transmission.

And from the Province of Cebu, the respective distributors, whether they be cooperatives, associations, districts or -as she has always encouraged- the local government units, will supply the water that is needed, the governor further explained.

The governor is also planning to talk with the officials of Carmen town where the Luyang River, the source of the said water supply deal, is located

And as the Cebu City Council is expected to come up with its stand on the proposed Carmen Bulk Water Supply project today, water consumers urged councilors to reject the project.

Consumers also appealed to government officials not to only consider the solution to the acute water shortage in Cebu but also the possible bad effects of the project to MCWD and the consumers.

Freedom from Debt Coalition, an alliance of consumer groups, said that the project might create bigger problems because of some conditions in the contract that are not favorable to the water district. - Gregg M. Rubio, Cristina C. Birondo and Wenna A. Berondo