MCWD, Danao sign water deal

CEBU, Philippines - The Metropolitan Cebu Water District has embarked on another partnership to give the best service to its consumers, this time with the local government of Danao.

MCWD entered into a 20-year agreement with Danao City for a bulk water supply project, which will add 10,000 cubic meters of water a day for the first two years starting January 1, 2018.

On the third year up to the 20th year of the contract, Danao City is obliged to increase the volume to 20,000 cubic meters a day.

The water rate is fixed at P19.38 for the whole duration of the contract.

Danao City will secure all permits for the project, put the facility up, and develop the source, the Tangon River in Barangay Sta. Rosa. The city is also in charge of laying the pipes to bring the water to the injection point in Barangay Jubay in Lilo-an town.

In a statement, MCWD acting general manager, Engr. Ernie T. Delco, said the additional supply is a welcome development as the water district needs to serve more people within its service area.

Delco said the water district needs an additional 250,000 cubic meters a day on top of its present production of 210,000 cubic meters in order to serve the total demand of its service area and Danao City is just one of the sources.

 “Danao’s supply is only 10 percent of our needs. We will continue to find other sources,” Delco added.

The Danao City government manifested its interest to supply water to MCWD.

Through evaluation, it was found that Danao City has the capacity and capability to be a bulk water supplier through a sufficient and sustainable surface water source.

The contract provides that the water to be supplied to MCWD must pass the standard set by the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water.

The contract signing between MCWD and the Danao City government came six months after another major supplier, the Cebu Manila Water Development Corp., started supplying 18,000 cubic meters of water a day to the water district.

The contract is also good for 20 years and CMWD is committed to increase its supply to MCWD to 35,000 cubic meters on the second year.

CMWD gets water from Luyang River in Carmen town.

The partnership with these two bulk water suppliers is part of MCWD’s measure to protect the environment and Metro Cebu’s water supply by shifting from groundwater to surface water sources.  (FREEMAN)