Cebu Water District Facing Supply Shortage

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) no longer has enough water supply for its more than 190,000 customers after most of its ground water wells and one of its dams have totally dried up due to the mild El Niño.

Charmaine Kara, MCWD community relations and external affairs manager, said Tuesday water service hours have been reduced to six to eight hours daily as 70 percent of its ground water wells have been fatally compromised while water production at the Buhisan Dam has totally stopped.

The water level of the dam is now below the discharge pipes, affecting six concessionaire areas in Cebu City.

“Most of our ground water wells had dried up due to over extraction while the surface water supply of Buhisan Dam is one of the visible effects of the mild El Niño,” Kara said during the Association of Government Information Officers – Philippine Information Agency (AGIO-PIA) forum.

Another MCWD-owned dam, the Jaclupan weir dam in Talisay City, has reduced water production by 57 percent or 19,000 cubic meters daily from the previous 33,000 cubic meters of water production.

At the moment, MCWD has stopped accepting new water connection applicants due to the supply shortage, Kara said, adding that they are currently exploring 40 areas for drilling and are still scouring Metro Cebu for additional ground water wells.

The water district is desperate for additional water sources, Kara said.

One of the options eyed by MCWD to avert the water shortage is water desalination.

MCWD is also set to forge an agreement with Mactan Rock Industries, Inc. to supply an additional 2,000 cubic meters of treated water daily.

Mactan Rock operates a water treatment plant in Lapu Lapu City and at the North Reclamation Area in Cebu City. (PNA)