The Metropolitan Cebu Water District began receiving 5,000 cubic meters of desalinated water from Isla Mactan Cordova Corp. on July 1, 2026, to help address a daily water deficit of 16,000 cubic meters.
The supply is projected to increase to 20,000 cubic meters per day, providing water to nearly 30,000 households once the desalination plant’s intake systems stabilize under a 25-year joint venture agreement.
This project aims to diversify supply and reduce pressure on Cebu’s overextracted aquifers as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration warns of a likely intensifying El Niño.
METRO Cebu consumers are set to benefit from an additional source of potable water after the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) began receiving desalinated water, a move aimed at easing supply shortages and strengthening the region’s water security ahead of the anticipated effects of the El Niño phenomenon.
MCWD announced Thursday, July 2, 2026, that it received an initial 5,000 cubic meters of desalinated water from Isla Mactan Cordova Corp., a subsidiary of Vivant Water, following the successful connection of the desalination plant to the utility’s distribution network on July 1.
The initial delivery is expected to increase to 20,000 cubic meters per day as the plant’s intake systems stabilize. Once operating at full capacity, the facility is projected to provide potable water to nearly 30,000 Cebuano households.
The additional supply comes as MCWD faces a daily water deficit of more than 16,000 cubic meters, raising concerns over water availability, particularly as weather authorities warn of the possible intensification of El Niño in the coming months.
MCWD general manager John Dx Lapid said the utility has been working with partners to develop climate-resilient water sources that can help meet Metro Cebu’s growing demand.
“The MCWD administration has been actively looking for partners who understand the urgency of Cebu’s water needs and share our vision of serving Cebuanos better,” Lapid said in a statement.
MCWD and Vivant Water signed a 25-year joint venture agreement for water supply in April 2025, paving the way for the desalination project.
Unlike traditional water sources, desalination does not rely on groundwater or surface water, allowing MCWD to diversify its supply while reducing pressure on Cebu’s aquifers, which have long been affected by overextraction.
“The sooner we bring climate-resilient sources online, the sooner we can help reduce stress on our aquifers and protect the natural resources that Cebu’s future depends on,” Vivant Water president Jess Anthony Garcia said.
The rollout also comes as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration warned in its June 24 monitoring that El Niño is likely to intensify in the coming months and persist until early next year, increasing the risk of below-normal rainfall and tighter water supplies. / Gervie Paluga, UP Cebu intern
