MCWD to implement last 10% tranche of rate hike

CEBU, Philippines — The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) will implement the final 10 percent tranche of its approved water rate adjustment beginning April 1, 2026, as authorized by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).

“The April 1 increase is part of MCWD’s first rate adjustment in 10 years. The last hike was in 2015, and no increases were made during the pandemic to help ease the burden on consumers,” said MCWD in a statement.

MCWD said that for residential connections using a ½-inch meter, the minimum charge for the first 10 cubic meters will be P259.16, an increase of P23.56 from the current monthly minimum rate of P235.60.

Commodity charges are set at P28.64 per cubic meter for 11–20 cubic meters, P33.71 per cubic meter for 21–30 cubic meters, and P82.52 per cubic meter for consumption of 31 cubic meters and above.

MCWD filed its application for water rate increase with LWUA in November 2022 after public consultations. The regulatory review stretched into 2025, with LWUA granting phased approval in August of that year. The implementation of the first tranche took effect on October 1, 2025, raising the minimum charge from ?209.76 to ?235.60.

    MCWD explained that the adjustment in April represents the last phase of the rate increase approved by LWUA in August 2025. The initial implementation was on October 1, 2025. The staggered rollout was designed to cushion the impact on consumers by spreading the adjustment over a manageable period.

MCWD has defended the increase as necessary to sustain operations, rehabilitate aging pipelines, expand its distribution network, and reduce non-revenue water losses from leaks, illegal connections, and outdated infrastructure.

       The water district said that it continues to rehabilitate old pipelines and expand its distribution network to meet growing demand and support additional water sources.

  While implementing these upgrades, MCWD has also adopted internal cost-control measures. “However, operational expenses have steadily increased over the years. The approved rate adjustment, which underwent regulatory review, is based on long-term operational requirements and was not influenced by recent fluctuations in fuel prices or other short-term economic factors,” it said.

Despite the adjustment, MCWD emphasized that its rates remain competitive compared to other districts and private suppliers, and that all revenues are reinvested into operations and infrastructure to ensure the delivery of safe and reliable water.

  As a government-owned and -controlled corporation, MCWD operates as a self-sustaining entity and does not receive subsidies from the local and national government.

Archival to appeal for rate hike deferment

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival is set to appeal to the MCWD to defer the implementation of its final 10 percent water rate adjustment scheduled for April 1, 2026.

Archival said the city government will formally ask MCWD to extend the rollout to cushion households already burdened by rising costs of basic commodities.

“Ato ning sulayawan, atong hangyoon ang MCWD ani. Pwede ba i-extend gamay ang ilang pagpa-increase,” said Archival in an interview yesterday.

“Ang ako lang pangutana sa MCWD, kong kani’ng process nga gihimo nga pag-request pagpatubo, kinahanglan pa na ig-hearing para makahibaw ang mga tawo. Of course, ang mga tawo ani, maguol,” Archival said, stressing that while LWUA has the mandate to regulate water pricing, the process must remain transparent and sensitive to consumer realities.

Archival, however, linked the issue to broader concerns over water security, especially with the looming threat of El Niño.

“Kita sad mga konsumidor, kinahanglan nga ang atong tubig gamiton efficiently, dili usikan. Karon gi-awhag gyud nato nga dili nato usik-usikan ang tubig. Ting-init, usa na sa gitan-aw sa city nga gipangandaman ang El Niño kay kon magpadayon, magproblema na pud ang tibuok syudad ani,” Archival said. (CEBU NEWS)