The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) will be bidding out the procurement of 7,000 cubic meters of water daily intended for immediate delivery to address the supply need of Lapu-Lapu City, particularly in the area of MEPZ 1 and Barangay Maribago.

The procurement of the additional volume will be done through competitive bidding under RA 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

The first injection point will be near MEPZ 1 Gate 3 along M.L. Quezon National Highway with an expected supply of 5,000 cubic meters a day. Contract duration is five years and renewable for another five years.

The second injection point is near Vistamar Ave. in Maribago with an expected supply of 2,000 cubic meters per day. Contract duration is three years and can be renewed.

The winning bidders for the two projects will have to deliver desalinated seawater to MCWD six months since the signing of the contract or receipt of the Notice to Proceed.

Since groundwater sources are already compromised because of contamination, over extraction and saltwater intrusion, having desalination plants is the most feasible source of water as MCWD is serving coastal areas within Metro Cebu namely; the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Mandaue and Lapulapu as well as the towns of Cordova, Consolacion, Liloan and Talisay.

Although the processing of desalinated seawater has high cost compared to ground water sources, seawater is abundant and drought resistant.

The putting up of dams, although feasible, entails long gestation period and high operational expense aside from the enormous socio-economic issues that need to be addressed.

One example is, if MCWD will put up a high-rise dam in its property in Barangay Sinsin, about 2,000 residents as well as other vital establishments in at least three mountain barangays in Cebu City will have to be relocated.

Aside from the Lapu-Lapu City projects, MCWD will also procure desalinated water from three desalination plants – one in Cebu City South, another one in Mandaue City and one in Consolacion.

The water district is also seriously considering the purchase of water supply from other sources outside of Cebu. MCWD is now producing 240,000 cubic meters of water per day from 138 wells and private suppliers covering only 32 percent of the total water demand of Metro Cebu.

These sourcing efforts will bring about a significant increase in MCWD’s total supply. The water district targets to serve up to 70% of the total demand in 10 years.