MCWD to have hi-tech facility

CEBU, Philippines - Metropolitan Cebu Water District will have a state-of-the-art facility that would be able to detect water connection-related problems within their franchise area as a result of the agreement between the Philippines and Japan.

The Philippine government and the government of Japan signed on April 24 a P500-million worth grant agreement for MCWD’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). The P500-million SCADA will be provided by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JAICA), while the Philippine government’s counterpart is P60 million by way of taxes.

Ernesto Delco, MCWD’s assistant manager for operations, said yesterday that engineers from Japan are expected to be in Cebu next month for the SCADA design.

“Ang mga engineers from Japan ang mo-design sa SCADA, and they will be here mga next month tingale,” said Delco.

Delco further said that through the SCADA technology, MCWD will be able to identify their customers’ water connection problems, even before the latter would know about it.

Moreover, through SCADA, leaking pipelines and low-pressure areas will be detected immediately. Other features of this system are its capability to immediately switch on or off the distribution lines, remotely shutdown or switch on their pumping stations or valves, and determine the water level of MCWD’s water reservoirs. With the present system, all these are done manually.

MCWD will provide the lot for the antenna of this new system and will take care of the operation maintenance. On the other hand, the equipment, labor and technical expertise will be provided by JAICA.

This new system is expected to be operational by the early part of  2016.  (FREEMAN)