THE Cebu Electricity Rights Advocate (Cera) warned that Metro Cebu’s water supply remains in a "dangerously fragile state" due to a lack of integration between the island’s power grid and water infrastructure.
Cera convenor Nathaniel Chua said the current system, which manages water and power as separate entities, is unable to withstand systemic disruptions. He called for a shift toward "Critical Infrastructure Resilience," where both utilities are protected as a unified ecosystem.
“At present, water security remains hostage to grid instability,” Cera said in a statement.
To address this, Cera is proposing that the Metropolitan Cebu Water District’s (MCWD) growth pillar be strengthened by prioritizing dedicated, non-interruptible power lines from Visayan Electric to all major MCWD pumping stations.
Chua noted that major hubs like Jaclupan and Lusaran require high-capacity energy storage or micro-grid solutions to maintain water pressure during "Yellow Alerts," when power reserves are thin.
“Expansion without climate-resilient hardening is a wasted investment,” he said.
The group highlighted that low water pressure in fire hydrants is already a visible symptom of the "failed synergy" between the grid and pumping stations.
Metro Cebu currently faces a water supply gap of 300 million liters per day. Cera argued that meeting this demand is impossible without stable baseload power, noting that Cebu’s electricity demand is growing by approximately 150 megawatts (MW) annually.
Beyond infrastructure, Cera is pushing for a "zero-consumption fee moratorium" to ease the financial burden on households and a mandated reduction in non-revenue water (NRW) to ensure utility accountability.
The group also advocated for the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) to be funded and protected as a critical economic asset against encroachment.
“An enhanced lifeline program must be established to protect low-income families, and the Central Cebu Protected Landscape should be recognized not merely as an environmental zone but as a critical economic asset requiring funded protection against encroachment,” Cera said.
With regional energy forecasts projecting a tighter supply-demand balance by 2026, Cera urged the government and private sector to fast-track island-based power facilities.
“Consumers deserve water and energy systems that are resilient, transparent, and built to secure both household needs and long-term economic growth,” Chua said.
While acknowledging the importance of inter-island grid connections and renewable projects, he maintained that these are "supplements rather than substitutes" for reliable local baseload power. (PR)