Gullas backs Talisay's own water district

CEBU, Philippines - First district Rep. Eduardo Gullas supports the call for Talisay City to have its own water district given the Metropolitan Cebu Water District’s failure to deliver the needed services for water despite having extracted at least 35,000 cubic meters of water daily from the city.

Gullas said that while MCWD is getting water from Talisay City its residents are left with no water supply.

“The needs of the Talisay residents for water must be addressed first before others,” Gullas said.

Gullas said that as early as 2001 he already proposed the creation of “Talisay Water District” seeing that there is really the need to create one.

Gullas said that he is now asking for the review of the contract between MCWD and the Talisay government.

“Talisay should have its own water district and there will be. Talisay is very much capable,” Gullas said contending that the city now has an Internal Revenue Allotment of P310 million a year compared to only P55 million a year in 2001.

Talisay City officials came up with the idea of creating their own water district following complaints from the residents. MCWD offered the Local Government Unit an option to take over its operation or buy their facilities.

Meanwhile, some members of the Cebu provincial board wants local officials in the different towns to determine the status of their water supply of water amidst the dry spell.

The board is urging the residents in the different barangays to adopt measures to save water.

Provincial board member Juan Bolo and Julian Daan, both representatives of the first district, expressed concerns over the lack of water supply experienced in the Metro Cebu.

MCWD officials already admitted their inability to supply the demand for water in their franchise area because of lack of sources. Most of the MCWD sources have dried up because of the dry spell.

The board earlier passed a resolution reminding the public to save water not only during dry spells but all throughout the years.

The resolution said clean drinking water is essential to human and other life-forms but some observers have estimated that by 2025 more than half of the world, water demand will exceed supply by 50 percent.

The resolution enumerated the critical regions in terms of water supply in which Central Visayas is among those areas together with the National Capital Region, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.

“The questions over supply cannot be ignored in times of dry spell but efforts of conserving water must be all throughout the year,” read the resolution. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon and Jose P. Sollano/FPL (THE FREEMAN)