Power outages blamed for MCWD’s slow water supply recovery

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Electricity Rights Advocates (CERA) has blamed frequent power outages for the delayed efforts of the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) to restore water supply following recent calamities.

CERA convenor Nathaniel Chua said the ongoing water shortage in Metro Cebu continues to burden families, businesses, and essential services, as MCWD grapples with both the aftermath of Typhoon Tino and long-standing system weaknesses.

In a statement released yesterday, Chua said the recurring power interruptions prevented MCWD from meeting its target of restoring 85 percent of water supply. Even then, he stressed that an 85-percent reliability level is still far from sufficient for communities striving to maintain hygiene and recover from crisis.

He noted that MCWD’s frequent “Yellow Alert” status even before the typhoon left the system with little reserve capacity to stabilize damaged pumping stations, aggravating the situation.

Chua added that the pace of recovery has also revealed stark disparities in power restoration. While the Visayan Electric Company (VECO) has restored electricity in Metro Cebu with relative speed and consistency, areas served by the Cebu Electric Cooperatives (CEBECOs) and the Mactan Electric Company (MECO) continue to experience slow and unreliable restoration.

This unstable connection between the regional grid and critical water pumping facilities, he said, poses a direct threat to water security.

“It is still a serious concern that even after weeks, thousands of households across Cebu experience dry taps and sanitation risks because power lines feeding essential pumping stations remain disconnected,” Chua said.

He emphasized that these delays expose deep infrastructure gaps and underscore the urgent need to strengthen water system resilience, especially in outlying areas.

Chua said the lack of reliable utilities has further worsened conditions for vulnerable sectors as the Visayas grid remains under yellow alert.

“Service outages have led to acute health risks, missed workdays, and lost revenue for workers and low-income families. MSMEs and small enterprises are forced to halt operations or spend beyond their means on backup systems, while farmers suffer declining crop yields due to failing irrigation. Even middle-class households face mounting expenses from fuel purchases and water procurement to sustain basic living conditions,” he added.

Taken together, Chua said these burdens significantly impede the region’s recovery and highlight the pressing need for a more dependable and resilient power–water infrastructure system in Metro Cebu. — (FREEMAN)