Cebu water demand rises with growing population

CEBU, Philippines - The continued population growth in Cebu has further increased the demand for water, the Metropolitan Cebu Water District said.

All the franchise areas served by the water provider will see their population consistently growing in the next years up to 2030, according to the projection presented by Joel Mari Yu, MCWD chairman, at the recent Water Challenge Forum in Cebu City.

Among its franchise areas, Cebu City will see the most significant rise in population in the next decade, thus the need for more water sources to meet the projected rise in demand.

As of end 2016, water demand in Metro Cebu had reached 385,000 cubic meters a day, with MCWD producing only 214,000 cubic meters per day.

Water demand is seen to reach 416,000 cubic meters per day by 2020.

MCWD’s current service area stood at 750.87 square meters with a population of 2.55 million, serving the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay, Lapu-Lapu; and municipalities of Cordova, Consolacion, Liloan and Compostela.

Engr. Ronel Magalzo, division head at MCWD’s water resources department, said producing potable water in Cebu has become a challenge due to groundwater pollution, saltwater intrusion and over-extraction.

Yu, for his part, said the water provider is looking to develop its existing dams in Mananga and Lusaran, and construction of desalination plant, among other options, to meet the needed volume.

The Roadmap Study for Sustainable Urban Development in Metro Cebu done by Japan International Cooperation Agency projects the water supply demand in Metro Cebu to increase by 437,000 cubic meters per day to reach around 800,000 per cubic meters a day by 2050.

And this will require large investment in the development and improvement of existing water supply infrastructure, JICA said.

As of 2013, water supply in Metro Cebu stood at 227,525 cubic meters per day and this is seen to increase to 359,800 cubic meters per day by 2020.

The water demand is expected to increase with the rising economic activities and growing industries in Cebu.

The fast population growth in Metro Cebu is also increasing the pressure on existing systems of water supply.

The expanding urbanization and the rising population are two major factors cited to have intensified the challenges related to water quality and wastewater treatment. (FREEMAN)