MCWD earmarks P2B for business expansion

CEBU, Philippines - With the aim of serving its target consumer better, the Metropolitan Cebu Water District has allocated an estimated P 1.91 billion for its expansion and distribution improvement projects in the eight local government units within its service area.

This is in line with the water district’s mandate to serve more businesses and communities in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay and the municipalities of Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela and Cordova.

To ensure local government support for the projects that will benefit their constituents, MCWD will conduct a meeting with the mayors of each LGU about the water district’s infrastructure projects this year and in the next seven years.

“We want to support the growth of these LGUs and of Metro Cebu as a whole. As responsible water utility, we want to ensure that we can serve the demand and that there will be a stable supply of affordable, safe and potable water in Metro Cebu,” said MCWD General Manager Armando Paredes.

MCWD is currently producing around 200,000 cubic meters of water per day but is only serving around 43 percent of the total water demand in its service area.

The total water demand is projected to increase to 416, 000 cubic meters per day in the year 2020.

The water district is working to meet this demand by sourcing different additional sustainable supply.

One of which is the bulk water supply project of the Cebu Provincial Government and the Cebu Manila Water Development Inc. which will bring in additional 18,000 cubic meters of water per day by July this year.  The volume will increase to 35,000 cubic meters per day in the second year up to the 25th year, which is the duration of the contract.

This additional supply will not only answer the supply gap but will also mark MCWD’s shift to surface water sourcing, which is more environmentally friendly than groundwater extraction.

To prepare for the incoming supply, MCWD will have to implement the P1.91-billion expansion and distribution improvement projects in its service area.

The implementation of these projects is expected to affect traffic flow in the northern part of Metro Cebu.

MCWD is appealing to motorists and the public for their patience and understanding for the inconvenience these will cause.

The same expansion project was recently presented to Liloan mayor Duke Frasco. (FREEMAN)