MCWD eyes RDC endorsement for funding

CEBU, Philippines - The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) is eyeing the endorsement of the Regional Development Council (RDC) to get funding from the National Government.

In yesterday's forum of the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO)-7, MCWD communications head Charmaine Rodriguez appealed for political leaders to make sufficient water supply among their priorities, particularly in Metro Cebu.

Rodriguez said that MCWD is a self-liquidating government entity, wherein it uses its own income to undertake some expansion projects.

Astro Logarta, MCWD manager for production and distribution department, said that should the government provides them more funding, they can venture on more projects such as in the conservation of underground water.

Logarta cited Baguio City Water District which is able to create an artificial lake as source of water supply.

Logarta said that 95 percent of the water supply of MCWD is sourced from groundwater while five percent is coming from the Buhisan dam. The dam sometimes dries up during a long hot season.

He assured, however, that the onset of summer has no effect on their water source.

The Carmen Bulk Water Project of the Province of Cebu and Manila Water Consortium is expected to supply 18,000 cubic meters of water per day in 2014 and 35,000 cubic meters in 2015.

Logarta said that there is another proposal to supply at least 25,000 cubic meters per day out of desalinated seawater in Mactan and Mandaue City areas.

Philippine Information Agency 7 Director Minerva Newman informed MCWD officials that a lot of discussions have already been made at the Economic Development Committee of RDC which she is a member.

Newman said that MCWD should come up with a proposal on how government could help in terms of funding. Logarta said they will consider the suggestion of Newman.

Rodriguez on the other hand said that as of now, they are pushing for the implementation of Clean Water Act which started with the septage management program.

They are also undertaking programs for the protection of water system and water conservation by teaching school children in proper hand washing in Lapu-Lapu City.-(FREEMAN)