Water theft blamed for defective hydrants

CEBU, Philippines — The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) said some fire hydrants in Mandaue City have been damaged due to illegal water extraction, a practice that also contributes to non-revenue water losses.

MCWD Acting Water Distribution Division Manager Engr. Cesar Boroy appeared before the Mandaue City Council on Monday, June 1, 2026, to address concerns regarding defective fire hydrants across the city.

Boroy revealed that several fire hydrants had been intentionally shut off in an effort to reduce rising non-revenue water losses, which may have affected their functionality.

The issue surfaced after the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Mandaue reported that 13 out of the city’s 35 fire hydrants were defective or non-operational, particularly in central areas.

However, Boroy said MCWD has yet to formally discuss the matter with the BFP but assured the agency that coordination would take place.

“Makig istorya mi sa findings nila, para ma-jive namo ang information and data,” Boroy said in an interview.

“Mag-ask pa mi sa ilang report and makig-meet mi nila and mag-sit down mi,” he added.

During the session, Boroy also disclosed that MCWD has yet to receive an updated map or coordinates from the BFP identifying the locations and status of the city’s fire hydrants. He made the statement in response to a query from Councilor Jennifer del Mar.

The engineer requested two weeks to verify the situation and submit findings.

Del Mar, however, stressed that fire hydrants should undergo annual inspections.

She added that the purpose of fire hydrants is defeated if they cannot be used immediately during emergencies.

“Kung ingon ana diay, might as well naay system nga automatic mu-ON siya when there is an emergency rather than mutawag pa mi and mangayo og request,” Del Mar said.

The councilor also emphasized the importance of maintaining functional fire hydrants, especially in densely populated residential areas in Mandaue City.

“Kasagaran sa mga sunog naa sa mga suok nga lugar, niya dili dayon masod sa atong BFP and fire volunteers,” she said, stressing the need for accessible water sources during fire incidents.

Del Mar likewise encouraged MCWD and the city government to strengthen coordination to address the issue.

According to MCWD, there are around 100 fire hydrants in Mandaue City. However, the agency has yet to verify the exact number of functioning hydrants since some are already non-operational.

Boroy said MCWD will shoulder the cost of repairs or replacements, although the agency still needs to allocate a budget for the project.

In Mandaue, he said MCWD will coordinate with the BFP to determine the exact number of hydrants needing repair before finalizing a list and requesting funds.

Boroy clarified, however, that not all hydrants are defective.

He explained that several hydrants repeatedly targeted for illegal water extraction were deliberately shut off. According to him, only the BFP is authorized to draw water from fire hydrants.

“Daghan reports nga gikawatan gyud, unya dili taga-BFP ang manguha,” he said.

Boroy added that MCWD has also received reports that some individuals were allegedly selling water illegally taken from hydrants.

Because of these incidents, MCWD immediately closed the affected hydrant connections to prevent further unauthorized use.

“Nag-close mi sa fire hydrants kay daghan reports nga illegal extraction, which is a loss to MCWD,” Boroy said.

“Mao to ang nakita nga immediate action para muubos-ubos ang non-revenue water kay daghan man manguha pero dili authorized kay dili sila BFP,” he added.

As a result, during fire emergencies, responders must contact MCWD’s hotline if a hydrant is not functioning so that water supply can be redirected to affected areas.

Boroy clarified that many hydrants remain operational and that only those repeatedly linked to illegal extraction were shut off.

“Pero og need to ablihan, open ra ang hotline 24/7,” he assured.

Meanwhile, for areas experiencing low water pressure, Boroy said MCWD can divert water during emergencies to boost pressure levels.

The BFP previously reported that of the 35 fire hydrants across Mandaue City, only 10 have water pressure strong enough to sustain a fire truck during emergencies.

The remaining hydrants operate at low to medium pressure, which is insufficient to provide the required water volume during fire incidents.

Boroy also appealed to the public to stop illegally extracting water from hydrants.

“Hinaot nila usbon ug mu-stop na gyud sa pagpangawat kay apektado ang tanang residents, dili ra sa Mandaue kundi hasta ang neighboring areas,” he said.

He added that the illegal activity also results in financial losses for MCWD.

Without disclosing exact figures, Boroy said around 29 percent of MCWD’s total water production is classified as non-revenue water. Aside from unauthorized hydrant use, other contributing factors include water leakages and system losses.

Boroy explained that water drawn from fire hydrants is categorized as non-revenue water, which is why only the BFP is authorized to use them.

Once all fire hydrants are fully repaired and operational, the Mandaue City Council proposed involving barangays in monitoring and safeguarding hydrants throughout the city.

“We welcome the initiative,” Boroy said.

In fact, he said MCWD may send a letter to the city government to facilitate the creation of a memorandum of agreement (MOA).

“Para makatabang sad sa pagbantay sa kadtong mangawat,” Boroy added. — (FREEMAN)