Main line repair done, water supply restored

CEBU, Philippines - The water supply in the areas of the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Consolacion and Liloan, which were affected by the repair of the leaking transmission line of the Metro Cebu Water District, was restored at 2 p.m. yesterday after the repair was completed shortly before noon.

 The MCWD has apologized for the inconvenience it has caused when it implemented an emergency water service interruption last Sunday to give way to the repair of the 14-inch diameter transmission line found to have leakage near the Butuanon River.

 MCWD’s Pipelines Maintenance Department (PMD)-North Manager Ferdinand Nicanor said that the repair was delayed because they need to secure permits from the Department of Public Works and Highways and put up a P20,000 bond before they can proceed with the excavation.

 Nicanor said their field personnel were also very careful in the excavation to avoid further damage of the line causing further delay in the repair works.

 According to Nicanor, they need to replace the four-meter long pipe because of the multiple leaks they found. The repair has also caused a monstrous traffic at the U.N Avenue and M.C. Briones Highway in Mandaue City.

 The MCWD also had to deploy water tankers to distribute free water supply to their affected consumers in Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

 The water district has also delivered water supply to the Mandaue City District Hospital and the city’s slaughterhouse upon the request of the city government. Some firms at the Mactan Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) also asked for water trucks to continue their operations.

The Mandaue City government also utilized all its fire trucks and tankers to deliver water in the affected barangays. There were at least nine barangays affected by the emergency water service interruption. These include Alang-alang, Cambaro, Casuntingan, Centro, Ibabao-Estancia, Look, Maguikay, Opao and Umapad. (FREEMAN)