CERA calls out MCWD on “ghost water”

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Electricity Rights Advocates (CERA) cautioned the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), calling the utility's current Non-Revenue Water (NRW) levels a "fiscal and humanitarian disaster" for the people of Cebu.

CERA convenor Nathaniel Chua, in a statement, said that despite recent water rate increases, MCWD continues to lose an estimated 30% to 32% of its total water supply to leaks, theft, and metering errors—far exceeding the 20% ceiling mandated by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).

“MCWD is straining the household budget to fund a system that is literally bleeding consumers dry. Why should the public pay for ‘ghost water’ that never reaches faucets?” Chua said.

CERA highlighted that the financial impact of this NRW translates to hundreds of millions of pesos in lost revenue annually—funds that could have been used to stabilize the aging distribution network or subsidize lifeline consumers.

Chua also highlighted a dangerous synergy between MCWD's technical inefficiency and the garbage crisis. Accordingly, when MCWD pumping stations lose power (common during "Yellow Alerts"), water pressure in the pipes drops.

Chua said this creates a vacuum effect, as he warned that these "temporary" sites lack industrial-grade liners. He added that toxic runoff from decomposing waste is seeping into the soil and water table.

The South Road Property, he said, is a major corridor for water distribution, and storing mountains of unmanaged waste near these lines increases the risk of "cross-contamination" during system fluctuations.

“Cebu's aquafiers are currently in a state of ‘over-extraction,’ where the withdrawal rate is roughly double the natural recharge rate. Ground water extraction is (highly) vulnerable to drought (El Niño) and seasonal rainfall fluctuations. It will cause environmental impact that will cause severe sinking ground and permanent water intrusion,” Chua added.

CERA is calling for immediate "Operational Synergy," ending the use of Pond A as a dump site and moving "Bagsakan" operations to a facility with proper wastewater treatment.

Chua added that MCWD should already present a holistic and doable plan to tap surface water (rivers) as a water source, as well as desalination.

“Groundwater is too depleted and poses a health risk already due to contamination and saltwater intrusion. There have been plans in the past for Mananga Dam and Lusaran Dam and it’s about time to update these plans and seriously consider if it is high time these are implemented,” Chua further said.

MCWD has yet to issue a statement on this matter. (CEBU NEWS)