Water Extraction 30 Years Ago: MCWD denies it is not paying Compostela

CEBU, Philippines - Metropolitan Cebu Water District general manager Armando Paredes disputed claims by the Compostela munbicipal government that the MCWD has not paid the water it extracted in the town three decades ago.

In a press conference yesterday, Paredes, as stated in his letter to Compostela Mayor Ritchie Wagas, said that it is “not true that the MCWD has not paid a single centavo to the town for the past years for the water it extracted there 30 years ago.”

Paredes said that on July 16, 2007, at the mayor’s office, he personally “handed over two checks to Wagas worth P240,110.03 representing their full payment of in lieu share” and “another P7,285.55 as payment for revenue share”, and since then they have been regularly paying their revenue share to the town.

Paredes also said there is no truth that the MCWD is selling its Compostela production outside of the town.

He pointed out that the water being produced by the two existing wells in the town with less than 1,000 cubic meters is solely supplied within Compostela.

“It is impossible for MCWD to sell the said water outside of the locality since the same is not even enough to meet the water needs of Compostela’s present water consumers,” the letter read.

Paredes, however, admitted that only 10 percent of the town’s population is being served by MCWD which is equivalent to 1,000 families or 5,000 individuals.

In his letter, Paredes explained that they are aware of this scenario and in view of this, MCWD implemented the drilling of 14 wells in the locality in 1992 upon the consent of its municipal council and of then Mayor Gilbert Wagas.

MCWD obtained a loan from the Local Water Utilities Administration to finance the project so that it could answer the water needs of the town and other municipalities.

But unfortunately, Paredes said, when the wells were all set to operate, the new administration in the town reportedly refused to issue an electrical permit for MCWD to operate the said wells.

Paredes further said that because of such refusal, the water supply of MCWD in Compostela remains the same until now and that the 14 wells that MCWD drilled which cost them P110 million have remained idle.

“Had these 14 wells been operational, it was projected to produce at least 10,000 cubic meters daily. With the volume of water it was supposed to produce, the water district could very well supply ten times or even more than the municipality’s water demand,” the letter stated.

Paredes also said that MCWD does not intend to sell its facilities especially the wells and its pipelines within a franchise area, and if indeed Compostela intends to buy or take over the facilities of the MCWD, then the town must compensate the water district with the corresponding value.

“Being a property right of MCWD, it must be respected and justly compensated by anyone who wishes to take over the same,” Paredes added. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/MEEV   (THE FREEMAN)