MCWD on the lookout for other water sources

CEBU, Philippines - The Metropolitan Cebu Water District continues to source water supplies in its bid to improve their water service to its increasing number of customers.

MCWD general manager Armando Paredes said that of the 250,000 cubic meter daily demand of water within their franchise area, they only supply about 125,000 cubic meters of water a day.

But Paredes said that the customers of the remaining unserved 125,000 cubic meter does not however mean that they have no water at all as these potential customers have their own water source such as private wells.

“We recognized that there is really lack of supply but we never stopped sourcing water,” Paredes said.

MCWD has about 800,000 to 900,000 customers and the number is increasing due to population growth and migration.

To answer the increasing demand, Paredes said that MCWD has an in-house water source development such as drilling of wells, wherein in the next three years it can draw out 25,000 to 30,000 cubic meter of water daily.

Last year, MCWD was able to produce an additional 4,000 cubic meter daily from its Canduman wells in Mandaue City.

MCWD is also inviting joint venture agreements with private firms.

Paredes that they have eleven injection points (seven areas in Cebu City, two in Mactan and two in Mandaue), wherein private firms can supply water to the so-called “thirsty areas”.

If the 11 injection points will be operational, it can draw up about 40,000 cubic meters daily.

And lastly, Paredes said  there are now ongoing talks with the different local government units of Liloan, Compostela and Danao for a possible sourcing of water.

But Paredes said of the three LGU’s, the proposal of Danao City is most likely to be the most feasible especially that the latter has its own track record in supplying water.

As for the town of Compostela, MCWD cannot agree with the municipal government’s pricing of the latter’s water rate.

The municipality offered the water rate at P15 per cubic meter but recently raised it to P22 per cubic meter.

MCWD has 14 wells in Compostela that have remained unoperational since 1993. These are supposed to draw out 10,000 cubic meters of water daily.

As for the municipality of Liloan, Paredes said MCWD cannot enter into a joint agreement but they can enter into an agreement under the Procurement law wherein it will be MCWD will be the one to operate the municipal wells.

Aside from this, Paredes said that Liloan has no track record to speak of in terms of supplying water unlike Danao City.

If the contract with Danao City pushes through, it will be selling 15,000 cubic meters of water daily to MCWD. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/BRP (THE FREEMAN)