CEBU CITY, Cebu, March 15 (PIA) -- The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) has turned to desalinated seawater to address the water crisis of Metro Cebu.

MCWD Water Distribution Division Manager Engr. John Macabinta during the Kapihan sa PIA on March 15 said that MCWD is currently producing around 270,000 cubic meters of water per day but serving more than 200,000 connections in the highly-urbanized cities of Cebu including Lapu-lapu, Mandaue, and Talisay and the municipalities of Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, and Cordova. 

To address the water shortage, Engr. Michael Diola of the Corporate Planning Department confirmed that the Lusaran Bulk Water Facility has begun supplying water to the elevated barangays of Lahug, Busay, Apas, and in the mountain barangays of Talamban. 

Once fully operational, an additional 15,000 cubic meters of water from the Lusaran Bulk Water Facility will be supplied and would cover 12 to 13 more barangays in Cebu.

Groundwater from rivers like Buhisan, Cotcot, Mananga, and Lusaran has been the main source of water supply of MCWD.

But since groundwater sources are easily compromised because of contamination over extraction and saltwater intrusion, desalination plants have been one of MCWD’s most feasible water solutions especially in the coastal areas of Mactan, Lapu-lapu, and Cordova.

In January 2023, MCWD penned a contract for an additional desalinated seawater of 50,000 cubic meters of water per day and is expected to be delivered within eight months to the injection points of Mandaue and Mambaling.

An additional 5,000 cubic meters of water per day was also penned for Lapu-lapu City.

Atty. John Dx Lapid, Customer Care Division Manager of MCWD, encouraged the water consumers to check for pipe leakage, monitor water meter and toilet tanks, and discourage illegal deep well drilling.

Water conservation must still be observed.

Macabinta also disclosed that a new septage collection and treatment system facility will be built on a property owned by the Cebu City Government together with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with an approved grant of almost P870 million. (MYP/PIA7)