MCWD warns of service interruptions

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) announced there will be less to no water in the cities of Mandaue, Cebu, and Lapu-Lapu, as well as in the towns of Consolacion, Liloan, and Compostela for eight hours starting today.

In a statement, MCWD the water interruption will occur on February 6, 8, and 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

MCWD spokesperson Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara, in an interview, said the water interruption is due to the preventive maintenance work of Cebu Manila Water Development Inc.'s (CMWD) reservoirs in Barangay Casili, Consolacion.

CMWD supplies part of the daily requirements of MCWD.

Kara said CMWD's three reservoirs, with combined capacity of 5,000 cubic meters of water daily, were already completed last year. These reservoirs, however, will remain non-operational as they will undergo cleaning on those dates.

After the cleanup, normal water service to the said areas will resume, said Kara.

Affected customers are advised to store water enough for the duration of the three days.

MCWD said affected areas include Estaca and Cotcot in Liloan, Consolacion, Mandaue, Mactan Export Zone 1 in Lapu-Lapu City and lower Mabolo, M. J. Cuenco Avenue, North Reclamation Area, pier area, Carreta, Lorega SanMiguel, Tejero, T. Padilla, Tinago, and Imus Street in Cebu City.

CMWD currently supplies 38,000 cubic meters of water daily to MCWD.

However, Kara said everytime the Luyang River in Carmen, where CMWD sources its water, becomes turbid due to floods, it stops supplying to MCWD for about eight hours or until the water meets the standard quality set by government regulators and provided for under the 20-year contract between the two entities.

Turbidity is a natural phenomenon where floods cause surface water sources, like rivers, to become muddy during heavy rains.

“With the three reservoirs, bisan naa pay turbidity ang water coming from Luyang, Carmen, at least naa nay reserved nga limpyo nga tubig pinaagi aning tulo ka reservoirs,” Kara said.

Last week, newly appointed MCWD general manager Jose Eugenio Singson Jr. met with CMWD representatives and visited the private bulk water supplier's water treatment plant in Carmen and drop-off points in Compostela, Liloan, and Consolacion.

The meeting sought to find solutions to temporary stoppage of supply to MCWD customers if turbidity affects CMWD's source, the Luyang River.

“We appeal to our affected consumers for their understanding and cooperation in storing water as we work on improving our services,” Singson said.