RESIDENTS of Barangays Punta Engaño and Olango, Lapu-Lapu City will soon have access to water coming out of their faucets after relying on delivered tanks for several years now.
This, following a new seawater desalination plant to be constructed by Summa Water Resources Inc. (SWRI) in a joint-venture agreement with the City Government, broke ground in Punta Engaño. The plant is expected to produce 15,000 cubic meters per day.
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan, in an interview during the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, said the desalination project will help address the city’s water shortage of 100,000 cubic meters per day.
“Since I assumed office in 2019 until today, finally the water desalination in Lapu-Lapu City was realized through the Summa Water Resource Inc. It can help the economy of the city as I said our shortage is 100,000 cubic meters in a day,” said Chan in mixed Cebuano and English.
Chan said the residents in Punta Engaño have been relying on the water delivery from the local government unit due to lack of water supply.
He said the locals will be provided with water at an affordable price.
SWRI president Jose Antonio Soler said the desalination plant will ensure “clean and safe” water to the residents, with the goal of achieving water security for Lapu-Lapu City in the coming years.
“We often take water for granted as long as it comes out of the tap. With this desalination plant, we will provide clean water directly to people,” said Soler in a mixed of Tagalog and English.
“Within the next two years, we aim for Lapu-Lapu City to be one of the first cities in the Philippines to achieve water security,” he added.
Aside from the desalination plant in Punta Engaño, there is also a separate desalination facility in the island barangay of Olango with an expected capacity of 500 cubic meters per day.
Both facilities are targeted to be completed in 2025.
“This won’t happen overnight; construction will take time. Laying the pipes is costly, and the rock here in Mactan makes it difficult, so it will take a while. But rest assured, it will eventually happen,” said Soler.
The households to be supplied by this desalination project are on top of the 18,000 households and establishments currently being supplied by the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD). / DPC