Daily water service in Cebu City down to 1 hour

CEBU CITY – Water supply in Cebu City is dwindling by the day as consumers in some areas of the metropolis are now experiencing only one hour of water service.

Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara, Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) Community Relations and External Affairs manager, said Friday that service hours unfortunately had to be cut to its shortest as the Jaclupan Dam can only now supply 7,000 cubic meters a day from its usual 33,000-cubic-meter daily production.

“We are very sorry for this sad development, but it has to be done to mitigate the depleting water supply in Jaclupan,” Kara told the Philippine News Agency.

Earlier, the MCWD also implemented an alternating distribution schedule in some parts of Metro Cebu. Certain areas will have water connection on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while other areas will be serviced on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

As the period of service has been reduced to one hour, Kara said the MCWD will be procuring two additional water tankers and rent two more to augment the delivery of water in the affected areas.

The MCWD has been regularly delivering water to affected consumers after most of its ground water wells and the Buhisan Dam have totally dried up due to the mild El Niño.

Water tank trucks of the Bureau of Fire Protection, the city Department of Public Services, and barangay fire brigades have also been mobilized to help in the delivery of water.

However, Kara said their free water delivery has also been affected as some of their volunteers have begged off from continuing their public service after they were reportedly harassed by some disgruntled residents.

“We are asking the public for sobriety and patience. Harassing and threatening the volunteers won’t help us solve the water crisis,” Kara said.

The MCWD will also be asking its private bulk suppliers to increase their delivery as well as to commission other private wells as part of the water utility’s efforts to mitigate the supply shortage.