Busay residents now enjoy MCWD water

THE Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) has opened its stub-out beside the barangay hall of Busay in upland Cebu City to provide drinking water to the residents.

Lawyer Jose Daluz III, chairman of the board of directors (BOD) of MCWD, and general manager Edgar Donoso opened the stub-out on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022.

Daluz said only 2,000 cubic meters or 13 percent of the 15,000 cubic meters of water that will be sourced from Lusaran river, which is being managed by JE Hydro, will be supplied as they still have to prioritize their old customers who have an existing water meter.

The Lusaran Bulk Water Project was awarded to JE Hydro and Bio-Energy Corp. on March 4, 2021. It sources water from the Lusaran River.

Bong Sumayo, one of the residents in the area, said he was surprised when water came out when the MCWD officials opened their faucet.

“Salamat gyud nga among prayer natinuod na. Wa gud mi tulog atang sa tubig; karon salamat nga naa na gyud ang tubig,” Sumayo said.

(We are thankful that our prayers came true. We lacked sleep as we waited for water; now thanks we finally have water.)

Before the latest development, Busay residents just relied on water rations from MCWD’s tanker that were injected into the stub-out in order to get water.

Daluz and BOD member Miguelito Pato urged the residents to immediately report to their office if they discover leaks in hoses to prevent low water pressure.

Daluz explained that they will bring additional water supply to Busay once the installation of pipes used for water lines is completed.

The MCWD official said the distribution of water application forms in the area is ongoing.

The water installation fee is P6,500, payable for one year.

The Lusaran water project will supply 15,000 cubic meters of water a day to MCWD.

Last July, MCWD said it would lift the suspension of the processing of water service applications from the underserved Barangays Busay, Lahug, Apas, Camputhaw and Capitol Site when the Lusaran Bulk Water Project starts to deliver 15,000 cubic meters of water daily to MCWD.

The completion of the Lusaran project would also mean that the water district can start serving at least nine mountain barangays in Cebu City that do not have access to MCWD water yet.

These barangays are Budlaan, Pulangbato, Binaliw, Agsungot, Guba, Malubog, Cambinocot, Lusaran and Paril. The water district was still finalizing the detailed engineering design of the distribution line for these areas then. (PAC, TPT)