MCWD underlines need to maintain water quality

CEBU, Philippines - The Metro Cebu Water District yesterday said there is a moratorium on the granting of permits for well drillings.

Charmaine Rodriguez, MCWD public affairs department manager, said that in April this year, MCWD and the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) signed a memorandum of agreement in April this year to temporarily stop the granting of permits for well drillings.

She said the moratorium is needed in order to ensure the quality of water and be free from possible salt water intrusions.

Rodriguez said last Wednesday’s MOA signing between MCWD and Abejo Water Corp. based in barangay Tingub, Mandaue City was considered as a “historic signing” as the firm was the last to be granted a well drilling permit in Metro Cebu.

The well drilling was undertaken by the Abejo Waters Corp. (AWC) to supply more water to four barangays in Mandaue.

Both the MCWD and the AWC signed a contract to supply more water to about 4,000 households in barangays Cabancalan, Maguikay, Bakilid, and Casuntingan.

Under the contract, the AWC will supply a minimum volume of 5,000 cubic meters per day at P14.78 per cubic meter wherein this will be injected into the water district’s distribution line on M.L Quezon Street in barangay Cabancalan.

She urges the public to report to MCWD if some private entities undertake water drillings so appropriate actions can be taken against them.

She said MCWD at present cannot give an exact number of the presence of water wells in Metro Cebu because some private firms had applied for a well drilling permit directly to NWRB.

Rodriguez also said that while the MCWD strictly monitors its extraction of water from its wells, other private water suppliers and establishments that have their own wells may be over-extracting water.

Over-extraction may lead to unsafe water because of the presence of wastewater in the ground and because of saltwater intrusion.  (FREEMAN)