VIVANT Water will start supplying 20 million liters of potable water daily to the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) by the fourth quarter of 2025, a key move to ease Cebu’s chronic water shortage.
The water will come from the P2-billion utility-scale seawater desalination plant in Cordova in Mactan Island, now in its final commissioning phase developed under a 25-year joint venture between MCWD and VivantHydrocore Holdings Inc., a unit of listed firm Vivant Corp.
The facility, the first of its kind in the Philippines, aims to reduce Metro Cebu’s dependence on groundwater and erratic rainfall. In 2022, MCWD reported a daily water supply shortfall of 338,245 cubic meters. In 2024, MCWD produced 250 million liters a day, covering 39 percent of the total demand.
“This is a long-term investment in Cebu’s water resilience,” said Vivant chief executive officer Arlo Sarmiento, noting that desalination offers a stable alternative despite higher production costs. The Cordova plant could serve approximately 29,000 households in Metro Cebu.
Sustainable infra
Vivant Water president Jess Anthony Garcia said the project aligns with Vivant’s pivot toward sustainable infrastructure.
The Cordova plant was developed over five years and awarded to Vivant in a competitive bid in 2022.
The plant was developed in collaboration with Israeli water experts, who are global leaders in desalination technology.
The plant is also energy-efficient by design. It is equipped with Energy Recovery Devices and 220V solar panels, cutting operational energy use by up to 40 percent.
Vivant, a Cebu-based listed firm, is exploring similar projects in Bantayan and Palawan, as part of its P46-billion capital expenditure plan focused on renewable energy and utility solutions through 2030. / KOC