Upland residents in Apas get access to water from MCWD

CEBU, Philippines - The laborious way of getting water supply in the upland areas of Barangay Apas ended yesterday with the completion of the Metro Cebu Water District’s pipeline expansion project.

The project has benefited about 900 families living in the mountain areas of Apas who have been waiting for years to have potable water connection.

Residents cheered as the water district officials announced that they can now avail of water connection in their respective households.

The two-kilometer pipe will serve sitio Plaza, Fatima, Mahayahay, Sto. Niño and back of GMA 7 television station in Barangay Apas and part of Nivel Hills, Lower Busay, City Lights Condominium and neighboring elevated areas.

 For the past several years, the residents, mostly living in the province-owned lots, are buying water at P5 per container which is very expensive for poor families like them. At P5 per container the consumer is paying P250 per cubic meter which MCWD only sells at P13 per cubic meter for consumers with less than 10 cubic meters consumption every month and P48 for over 30 cubic meters.

 Charmaine Rodriguez, MCWD’s corporate affairs manager, said that the water expansion project in Barangay Apas will improve the lives of those people living in upland areas.

 The water district will get the supply from Abejo Builders which committed to supply 2,000 cubic meters everyday.  MCWD and Abejo Builders entered into a joint venture agreement for the purpose of supplying water in the mountain areas of Apas.

“The supply will cover around 1,500 households and will mean cheaper water services that will reach their homes. They are presently buying water by gallons at prices more than double than MCWD rates,” Rodriguez said. — (FREEMAN)