MCWD warns of weaker water supply come Monday

CEBU, Philippines - The Metro Cebu Water District has warned of a weaker supply of water tomorrow, Monday, as classes in other schools in Metro Cebu resume.

MCWD public affairs manager Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara has advised the public to store water to avoid inconvenience.

"To ensure students can bathe before going to school, MCWD is advising all students or parents of students to store water in time for the opening of classes in all levels on Monday. MCWD is expecting a heavy water usage of water early Monday morning with classes already in full swing," the district's statement said.

Kara said they anticipate that areas where dormitories and boarding houses are located - even residential areas with many students - will have the highest water usage.

Intermittent water supply is experienced in elevated and interior parts of Barangays Lahug, Banawa, Oppra, Talisay, Tabunok, Lagtang, Quiot, and Talamban in Cebu City, as well as in Mandaue City and Consolacion and Liloan towns.

Some areas that are at the end of the pipeline system have had low water pressure or no water at all like the pier area in Cebu City, Barangay Looc in Mandaue City, and coastal areas in Lapu-Lapu City.

With the dry spell experienced here, water production has decreased at two surface water sources - the Buhisan Dam in Cebu City and Jaclupan facility in Talisay City.

MCWD stressed that the recent rains brought by tropical cyclone Ester and the onset of the wet season has not fully supplemented the water supply to reach the target average production.

The government owned and controlled corporation's target daily production is 203,216 cubic meters. An average deficit of 12,000 cubic meters per day has been noted the past week. Of MCWD's 160,000 service connections, 85 percent are classified as residential/domestic accounts.

Meanwhile, water testing has been conducted in different public schools in Cebu City as requested by Councilor Dave Tumulak, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

The test was done to check if water in these schools is potable and safe for drinking.

The water samples collected from the 13 schools serviced by MCWD passed the test, but samples taken from the contaminated faucet of two schools - City Central Elementary School and Talamban Elementary School - failed.

MCWD Water Quality Control Division officer-in-charge Mary Jo Paylaga explained that the contamination was "domestic", which means the faucet where the sample was taken needs cleaning.

The contamination is not health threatening but needed to be immediately addressed.

A repeat test was done two days after and City Central Elementary School's water samples already passed while the water quality from Talamban Elementary School's source has improved although the contamination was not yet totally eradicated.

Paylaga has advised officials of the two schools to keep the faucets clean, as well as their surroundings, so as not to contaminate the water MCWD supplies.

The schools with potable water are Talamban High School, Guadalupe Elementary School, Punta Princesa Elementary School, Don Vicente Rama Elementary School, Lahug Elementary School, Tisa II Elementary School, Pardo Elementary School, Tejero Elementary School, Abellana National High School, Labangon Elementary School and Basak Community School.

MCWD also conducted a test on the water from Quiot Elementary School, which has its own deep well and the sample was found to be contaminated. Paylaga said the contamination was also non-fecal but school heads should do something to address the problem.

MCWD cannot disinfect their water source as it is a private well.

MCWD's water testing laboratory is among the 13 laboratories in Central Visayas accredited by the Department of Health.

The facility, located in Nasipit, Talamban, Cebu City, is capable of doing physical, bacteriological and chemical analyses.  (FREEMAN)