AS THE hot dry season approaches, the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) said it is prepared to meet the inevitable surge in demand, even as the state weather bureau warns of the lingering impacts of an El Niño phenomenon.
MCWD General Manager John Dx Lapid said the district’s supply remains sufficient, noting that the available water volume currently exceeds consumer demand.
“We are always ready. The only variable is the intensity of the El Niño, if ever there is,” Lapid said in a mix of English and Cebuano. Under his leadership, the agency is shifting toward a more proactive management style, which includes strengthening coordination with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Administration (Pagasa) to receive timely forecasts.
Currently, the MCWD produces 275,000 cubic meters of water daily to serve approximately 200,000 consumers across Cebu City, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Talisay, and the towns of Cordova, Consolacion, Liloan, and Compostela.
Resilience vs. risk
Central to MCWD’s strategy is an increasing reliance on groundwater through deep wells. Officials describe these sources as more resilient during prolonged dry spells because groundwater is less vulnerable to direct evaporation than surface sources like rivers or dams.
However, this strategy has drawn sharp criticism from the Cebu Electricity Reform Advocates (Cera). The consumer advocacy group called the reliance on groundwater a “short-sighted” response that could lead to long-term environmental damage.
Cera warned that over-extraction increases two major risks: saltwater intrusion, in which seawater leaks into the freshwater table and renders it undrinkable; and land subsidence, in which excessive pumping reduces underground pressure and causes the land above to sink — a phenomenon already observed in parts of Metro Cebu.
Cera convenor Nathaniel Chua urged MCWD to pivot toward large-scale infrastructure, such as dams and surface water treatment facilities, suggesting desalination only as a temporary measure while more sustainable systems are developed.
Managing operational costs
Despite current supply stability, Lapid acknowledged that the extreme heat and global economic tensions are driving up costs. Many deep wells still rely on diesel-powered generator sets, making the water supply vulnerable to fluctuating fuel prices.
The district is working to connect these facilities to main power lines to reduce dependence on expensive diesel. In the meantime, Lapid urged the public to conserve water, noting that the district’s tiered billing structure charges higher rates for excessive consumption.
Rising meter theft
Beyond environmental and technical hurdles, the MCWD is now battling a surge in infrastructure sabotage. A sharp rise in water meter thefts has emerged as a critical challenge to service reliability, particularly in northern Cebu.
Data from March 1 to 24 show a total of 141 recorded incidents, broken down as follows: Liloan, 84 cases; Consolacion, 39; Mandaue City, 10; Cebu City, five; and Lapu-Lapu City, three.
This represents a sharp increase from February (19 cases) and January (12 cases). The MCWD is calling on the Philippine National Police to intensify patrols to identify those behind the illegal trade in stolen meters.
To encourage public cooperation, the water district is offering a P25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of buyers of stolen meters and P10,000 for information leading to the arrest of the thieves themselves. (EHP)