NO MORE WATER FROM BUHISAN
Metropolitan Cebu Water District spokesperson clarifies that only three percent of their supply comes from the facility Jaclupan Dam in Talisay City is supplying 19K cubic meters of water, way below its normal production of 33K cubic meters Unless it rain
SOME 6,000 households in Cebu City have been affected since the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) said the Buhisan Dam had dried up and could no longer supply water.
The water level in the dam dipped below the discharge pipe on Monday, March 25.
The facility used to produce 6,000 cubic meters per day before it dried up as a result of the dry spell and soaring tempera- tures brought about by the weak El Niño.
According to MCWD spokesperson Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara, affected areas are the uphill portions of Banawa, Horseshoe Drive, Capitol Site, Oppra, Ipil-Ipil, Camputhaw, Clavano, Sambag 1, Sambag 2, F. Ramos St., B. Rodriguez St., Juana Osmeña St., pier area, North Reclamation Area, M.J. Cuenco Ave. and M. Velez. St.
She said the MCWD had been supplying these affected areas with water from deep wells in Barangay Talamban.
MCWD supplies 238,000 cubic meters of water to consumers every day. Only three percent of its supply comes from the Buhisan Dam.
Before the onset of the dry spell, Kara said MCWD started rationing water so it could serve its 191,000 consumers in eight local government units (LGUs) in Metro Cebu.
As of Tuesday, March 26, the Jaclupan Dam in Talisay City was only supplying 19,000 cubic meters of water, way below its normal production of 33,000 cubic meters per day.
Unless it rains at the Mananga watershed in the coming days, the Jaclupan Dam is expected to reach its critical level and will supply only around 17,000 cubic meters of water per day, according to Kara.
Some 70 percent of MCWD’s supply comes from ground water (deep wells); 26 percent, surface water (dams); and the remaining four percent is desalinated water, Kara said.
Aside from water rationing, the MCWD has been looking for other deep wells to address its depleting supply.
It was also forced to turn down applications for connections in 44 service areas.
MCWD officials have been urging the public to conserve the water.