No water in parts of Metro Cebu today

CEBU, Philippines - Most parts of Metropolitan Cebu Water District’s franchise area in the north are set to go through an eight-hour service interruption today.

Officials said water pipes of Cebu Manila Water Development Inc. will be linked to MCWD’s main line in the towns of Consolacion, Liloan and Compostela.

MCWD General Manager Ernie Delco said the move is related to the connection of 35,000 million liters per day of bulk water supply from Carmen town.

The interconnection works will start at 8 a.m. and end at 4 p.m., resulting to low pressure and possibly intermittent water supply in Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Mandaue City and parts of Mabolo, M.J. Cuenco Avenue, Carreta and Pier area in Cebu City, as well as Mactan Export Processing Zone-1, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority, Mactan and Punta Engaño in Lapu-Lapu City.

Delco, however, said the bulk water supply will supplement the water supply in Metro Cebu and increase MCWD’s water pressure.

This is seen as a welcome development because water from Carmen is sourced from surface water, which in turn means lesser pressure in the groundwater.

At present, MCWD caters to 43 percent of households in its franchise area. 

Meanwhile, MCWD has fully implemented its water rate adjustments with rate hike of P1.60 per cubic meter for the first 10 cubic meters of water consumption.

With the hike, consumers with 10 cubic meters consumption shall now pay P15.20 instead of P13.60.

The adjustments in the water consumption rates will be reflected on the February 1 billing statement.

Last August, the Local Water Utilities Adminis-tration Board of Trustees approved MCWD’s rate adjustments, its first increase since July 2006. —JMD (FREEMAN)