AFTER its water supply was depleted due to the severe heat caused by the El Niño phenomenon, the Jaclupan facility of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) is now 92 percent back to its “normal” water supply level.
This brings MCWD’s total average daily water production to just 8,000 cubic meters short of its normal level of 238,000 cu.m. per day.
The Jaclupan facility can produce 33,000 cubic meters of water a day.
Based on MCWD’s latest data, Jaclupan can now supply 30,000 cu.m. Should the rains continue, the water supply level will be fully normalized before the end of June.
The 30,000 cu.m. of water supply can serve 30,000 families or households with three to four family members who consume water from the water utility.
Buhisan Dam, on the other hand, is still supplying just 30 percent of its original normal capacity.
According to the MCWD, Buhisan can supply only 2,000 cu.m. at present after it was the first to get hit by the El Niño phenomenon that started last March.
At present, MCWD has a total average daily production of 230,000 cu.m. of water, compared to what it could normally supply, which is 238,000 cu.m. per day.
With this development, MCWD spokesperson Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara said they will already stop rationing water and the water delivery to areas with no water supply.
Service interruption
Meanwhile, on Friday, June 28, 2019, MCWD advised that several concessionaires will be affected by a nine-hour scheduled water service interruption due to the power outage of its water well in Liloan.
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the following areas will have no water services: Liloan (hilly and interior areas), Consolacion, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mabolo (lower portion) North Reclamation Area, Pier area, Carreta, M.J. Cuenco Ave., Lorega-San Miguel, T. Padilla, Tejero, Tinago and some parts of Imus Road, Cebu City.
Meanwhile, Central Visayas will again experience severe heat this week as the temperature is expected to hit 40 to 42 degrees Celcius.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Mactan weather specialist Jhomer Eclarino said after experiencing rain for the past several days, Cebu will start to experience hot weather Wednesday, June 26, until the weekend.
The province will experience temperatures of 26 to 33 degrees Celcius and a heat index or the heat discomfort the human body will feel, of 40 to 42 degrees Celsius.
But he advised the public to bring their raincoats and umbrellas as localized thunderstorms will be felt any time of the day.
Western Visayas, he said, will continue to experience scattered rainshowers due to the Southwest Monsoon or “Habagat.” (From HBL of SuperBalita Cebu, VLA)