FORTY fire trucks and tankers will distribute water to 19,800 households in downtown and uptown areas in Cebu City that have experienced low water pressure to no water.
The weak El Niño has affected the water supply in the city and other parts of Cebu Province.
Councilor Dave Tumulak called for a meeting on Monday, April 15, with representatives from the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), barangay fire auxiliary unit, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 7 and the Department of General Services to discuss the problem.
Affected areas
According to the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the affected barangays are Guadalupe (Horseshoe Drive and portions of Banawa), Capitol Site (Oppra, Ipil-Ipil, Clavano and Juana Osmeña), Camputhaw, Sambag 1, Sambag 2, Bulacao, Inayawan, Cogon Pardo, Poblacion San Nicolas, Basak Pardo, Quiot, Mambaling, Duljo-Fatima, San Nicolas Proper, Sawang Calero, Suba, Pasil, Pahina Central, Kalubihan, Ermita, Calamba, Zapatera, Day-as, San Antonio, Tejero, T. Padilla, Parian, Kamagayan and Labangon (Katipunan, Salvador Ext.).
Residents in the Pier area, North Reclamation Area and N. Bacalso Ave. have encountered similar problems.
Tumulak said the distribution of water, which started last Monday, is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until the water supply returns to normal.
Of the 40 fire trucks, eight are owned by the BFP, four by the Cebu City Government, three by MCWD and 25 by affected barangays.
“We’re doing this to minimize the effects of the dry spell, especially since MCWD is having problems with its water supply,” Tumulak said in Cebuano.
MCWD spokesperson Charmaine Kara said that since the start of the El Niño, their water supply has fallen from 238,000 cubic meters to 198,000 cubic meters. To solve this problem, she said MCWD has asked its bulk suppliers for additional water.
Tumulak said barangay officials and residents were told to line up their drums, buckets and containers an hour before the tankers and fire trucks arrive in their respective barangays.
He urged barangay officials to call the hotlines (262-1424, 0947-178-0000 and 0932-537-7770) if they encounter problems with their water supply.
The rationing of water, he said, will continue until normal supply returns in all affected households. (From PAC of SuperBalita Cebu, KAL)