Cebu Province is assessing rivers, springs and other potential water sources to determine how much water the province can secure for households, agriculture and other needs as it prepares for the projected El Niño peak from December 2026 to June 2027.
Engr. Aldrin Barade, head of the Cebu Provincial Inter-LGU Waterworks Systems Office (CPIWSO), said the provincial government needs more data to establish the actual yield of available sources and identify those capable of supplying communities during prolonged dry conditions.
“Need pa gyud ta og more data,” Barade said, emphasizing the need to monitor water sources continuously because their availability changes with rainfall and weather conditions.
The province began consolidating information on potential sources following Gov. Pamela Baricuatro’s visits to local government units (LGUs). The CPIWSO validates information submitted by local officials and other stakeholders to the governor’s team.
“Continuing ni siya nga inventory, kutub sa naay mo-provide og information,” Barade said, adding that the office would keep updating its inventory as more sources are reported.
The assessment considers each source’s elevation, water quality and available volume to determine whether it can support household water systems, irrigation or impounding projects.
Initial findings identified rivers and other surface water sources that could supply several LGUs. However, Barade said the province must first establish their actual yields before determining how much water they can provide.
He warned that prolonged drought could leave rivers with insufficient water because rainfall replenishes many of the province’s sources.
“Isa na ni ang possible water shortage, kay ang source man gud sa atong water is rainfall. Kung walay ulan, labi na kung long droughts, so ang atong river walay supply sa water,” he said.
The provincial inventory comes as the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) prepares for the anticipated dry spell while dealing with power interruptions that have affected water production.
MCWD Production and Distribution Department manager Engr. Rainier Quiñones earlier said recurring two- to three-hour rotational brownouts over the previous three to four months had reduced the utility’s normal daily production of about 290,000 cubic meters to an average of 268,000 cubic meters.
Production has since recovered to around 272,000 to 273,000 cubic meters daily, although power interruptions continue to affect pumping facilities in mainland Cebu, Mactan and parts of Consolacion, Compostela, Liloan, Talisay and Mandaue.
MCWD operates 169 pumping stations, but only some major facilities have backup generators.
The utility has asked Visayan Electric Co. and Mactan Electric Co. to spare its pumping stations from scheduled brownouts and provide earlier notice of interruptions so it can adjust operations.
MCWD also expects El Niño to reduce supplies from surface water sources, including Mananga Dam and Buhisan River, while deep wells may be less vulnerable.
During the 2024 El Niño, the utility’s daily production dropped by about 40,000 to 50,000 cubic meters, falling from its usual output of around 290,000 cubic meters to about 240,000 cubic meters at the height of the dry spell.
Barade said Cebu must also assess whether existing distribution infrastructure can deliver water to communities, noting that some LGUs need to replace outdated pipelines that may no longer meet the demands of growing populations.
Building a complete water system could take one to two years, particularly for projects serving entire municipalities or multiple LGUs, because these require additional technical studies.
Smaller projects involving storage tanks, shorter pipelines and impounding structures could be completed more quickly. Larger systems may require source development, storage facilities, extensive pipelines, treatment plants and pumps, depending on the water source.
The provincial government currently operates water systems in Moalboal and Carmen. Barade said both continue to meet demand because their water sources can supply more than the systems currently use.
“Sa karon, wala pa man siya giingon nga ubos. It’s because dako ang source didto, and then gamay ra nga portion ang gi-gamit for water system, so enough ra gyud ang system namo,” he said.
However, he cautioned that the situation in the two towns does not reflect conditions across the entire province because the CPIWSO has yet to complete its assessment of Cebu’s water sources.
The office aims to consolidate sufficient data by year-end to guide initial preparations for El Niño while continuing to identify sources for long-term water security.
Barade said provincial officials would also discuss water supply, agriculture and related concerns at an upcoming interdepartmental meeting to determine which infrastructure projects and interventions should receive priority.
Photo courtesy of BusinessWorld
Comments