News Briefs
RAINS STABILIZE WATER SUPPLY IN METRO CEBU
THE recent rains helped stabilize the water supply in Metro Cebu, the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) said yesterday.
Ernie Delco, MCWD Asst. Manager for operations, said the water level in the Jaculpan well fields in Talisay City returned to normal following last summer’s drought along with the Buhisan Dam in Cebu City.
“Jaclupan, being mostly surface water, is very critical and vulnerable to drought. But now, its volume has returned. We don’t have problems anymore because our water supplies have recovered),” he said.
Engr. Dionisio Gualiza, Department of Public Services (DPS) chief of Cebu City Hall, said their office is receiving fewer requests for water rationing in some of the city’s mountainous areas.
Some of these rural areas are dependent on springs which was replenished, he said.
Article continues after this advertisementThe DPS has one water tanker with a capacity of 72,000 liters of water that is used to supply water to low-level areas and upland barangays.
Article continues after this advertisement“In the Buhisan dam, it’s very rare that you have an overflow. In fact there were years in the past wherein there were no recorded overflow,” Delco said.
While overflow can be a problem in the Buhisan dam, it isn’t a concern for the Jaclupan well fields which is a “diversion weir,” Delco said.
A weir, also called a low-head dam is not regulated so excess water simply flows over the top.
“If you come to think of it, the dam is not really a cause for flooding in the downstream area, because whether the dam is there or not, the rainfall will still be the same,” he said.
Warnings and advisories were also sent out to the surrounding communities if they plan on releasing excess water from the dam, Delco said. Correspondent Jose Santino Bunachita
MCWD BULK WATER PROJECT TO BENEFIT THREE CEBU CITY BARANGAYS
ABOUT 5,000 households and business owners in three Cebu City barangays are expected to benefit from a bulk water supply project of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD).
MCWD officials signed a joint venture contract with Abejo Waters Corp. (AWC) for the bulk water supply project that is projected to supply 4,800 cubic meters of water per day at P15.68 per cubic meter.
The supply is expected within one year from the contract signing and will pave the way for barangays Talamban, Bacayan and Pit-os to receive water from the MCWD at cheaper rates.
Residents and business owners in the three barangays are paying P40 per cubic meter from private water suppliers.
“This is one of the lowest in the country, I understand,” MCWD board chairman Rene Mercado.
The water volume will be pumped into MCWD’s existing 300 mm-diameter ductile iron distribution line in barangay Pit-os.
In April last year, MCWD launched the P54-million Pit-os-Bacayan-Talamban water supply project which includes the installation of pipelines, stub-outs and fire hydrants to serve the three barangays.
“Our pipelines, which will receive water from AWC, along the main road in Tigbao, Talamban will be completed before the end of this month,” MCWD general manager Engr. Armando Paredes said.
While AWC is preparing the water supply, MCWD will be supplying water to the three barangays through its two existing wells which have a daily yield of 340 and 1,200 cubic meters respectively.
They will also be installing lateral lines to further reach out to the inner parts because their main line is only along the main road.
“When we start supplying 1,500 cubic meters from our own wells, that can accommodate roughly about 1,200 new connections or households, which can already have MCWD connections,” Paredes said. Correspondent Jose Santino S. Bunachita
