THE Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) has denied reports that it has been operating without Water Safety Plan (WSP) in place.
In a statement Wednesday, November 19, 2025, MCWD clarified that the it has "maintained and implemented" its WSP despite the expiration of its Certificate of Water Safety Plan Acceptance, issued by the Department of Health (DOH), in 2022.
The water district, however, is required to update and resubmit their WSPs every three years for recertification.
“What lapsed was the DOH certificate acknowledging the plan, not the plan itself,” MCWD General Manager Edgar Donoso said.
“We want to assure the public that MCWD has a Water Safety Plan that guides our operations every day.”
This was the agency's response to a news article citing a Commission on Audit report that it has been operating and supplying water without a "valid certificate since late 2022."
In a news article from Rappler on November 14, MCWD's last DOH-approved WSP was in 2019 which lapsed in 2022, and the water district has supplying water without an official certification that it meets safety standard.
A WSP for a water district, according to the DOH, is a proactive, risk-based system that ensures the safety of drinking water from the source to the tap. Its purpose is to prevent contamination, protect public health, and maintain reliable water supply, while its necessity stems from the need to manage risks from infrastructure failures, disasters, or environmental hazards, going beyond simple tap testing to guarantee consistent water quality.
Updated WSP
The water district said that the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) has informed them that their updated WSP has been endorsed to DOH for final evaluation.
The updated WSP, submitted to LWUA in February 2025, received an overall acceptance rating of 89.42 percent.
MCWD, acknowledging the delays and setback, awaits for the DOH's issuance of the new certificate.
It added that the updated WSP was originally scheduled years ago, faced setbacks arising from force majeure events and operational disruptions.
These includes the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions imposed, rehabilitation works after Typhoon Odette, and the disruptions and tensions over the legality of its board of directors and senior officers.
With these challenges, the MCWD assured that its operation adhered to safety and quality standard.
MCWD said it has complied with the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water, along with Water Quality Laboratory is accredited under PNS ISO/IEC 17025:2017, an international standard.
"This accreditation ensures that all testing processes consistently produce accurate and reliable results, further reinforcing the district’s commitment to public health and water safety," MCWD said in the statement.
MCWD currently serves more than 214,000 active connections in Cebu City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Talisay City, and the towns of Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, and Cordova. (EHP)