BY: FAYETTE C. RIÑEN
CEBU CITY, September 17(PIA) --- Metro Cebu residents have no cause to fear of a water shortage when the effects of El Niño will be visibly felt in the last quarter of this year that will continue in the first quarter of 2015.
Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) acting general manager Engr. Ernie Delco assured residents of eight localities in Metro Cebu that the water utility firm has a seven percent current reserve.
“We are also increasing our water production tapping Carmen town generating 18,000 cubic meters per day this year and another 35,000 cubic meters of water volume daily by next year,” said Delco during the recent forum of the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO-7).
Delco said Pagasa warned that starting October, rains will no longer be felt until March next year. “So we are preparing for a below normal average rainfall which is why we are already increasing our water production capacity to get the needed reserves for the ‘dry spell’ ahead,” added Delco.
Delco said MCWD will slowly be shifting to surface water from groundwater sources, which the latter makes up 35 percent of current water production capacity.
MCWD has two main surface water sources namely the Buhisan Dam in Cebu City and the Jaclupan Dam in Talisay City. The Buhisan Dam has an average water production capacity of 7,000 cubic meters a day while below normal production capacity is 5,000 cubic meters.
“With a dry spell due to El Niño, we expect the dam based on previous experience to only produce 2,000 cubic meters of water volume daily,” which at most during heavy rainfall has a production capacity of 10,000 cubic meters per day, said Delco.
The MCWD is prepared and ready to face in case of a dry spell due to the El Niño as we reiterate our assurance to our customers that water shortage will not be a concern, said Delco.
In the pipeline for 2015 is to build a water reservoir to augment water demand by a growing populace in Metro Cebu which “we are factoring in at three percent population growth per year,” bared the MCWD. (mbcn/FCR/PIA7)