Water woes hound Cebu province
Mandaue and Talisay, as well as Cordova and Consolacion, are reported to have a dwindling water supply
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia expressed concern yesterday on the worsening water shortage in Cebu, especially in the metro, as she is now scouting for more suppliers and sources to help alleviate the crisis.
This was as she received many complaints from the cities of Mandaue and Talisay, as well as from the municipalities of Cordova and Consolacion, all of which have been reported to have a dwindling water supply.
Garcia started to invite possible water suppliers for the province and Metro Cebu, wherein she already sent experts to explore the possibilities of extracting water supply from Malubog Dam in Toledo City and Mananga Dam in Talisay City.
She cited having a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with the Manila Water Corporation in 2009 wherein currently, Manila Water supplies millions of cubic meters daily to Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD). It extracts its bulk water in Luyang, Carmen, Cebu.
Recently, the Mandaue City Council and Mayor Jonas Cortes urged the MCWD to solve the water supply crisis in their city.
MCWD spokesman Charmaine Rodriquez-Kara in a recent interview with the Daily Tribune disclosed that MCWD only produces and distributes water of 190,000 cubic meters daily in Metro Cebu, however, the daily water demand was at 233,000 cubic meters.
The updated daily demand has reached 240,000 cubic meters as of 15 September 2019.
Meanwhille, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan visited the water plant of Mactan Rock Industries Inc. and gave his “go signal” for the company to operate its two bulk water wells in Barangays Punta Engano and Marigondon in the city.
These two wells will be producing 5,000 cubic meters each daily or 10,000 cubic meters from the consumption in Mactan Island including Cordova.