MCWD starts pipe laying for Mactan desalination plants

THE Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) is set to implement a P100 million pipe-laying project in preparation for the additional 75,000 cubic meters of water supply from the desalination plants in Cordova town, and Barangays Marigondon and Canjulao in Lapu-Lapu City.

MCWD sealed the deal with Philkonstrak Development Corp. for the 3,440-meter transmission and distribution pipeline project along Barangay Agus and Mactan Circumferential Road in Lapu-Lapu City.

The Cordova project will supply at least 20,000 cubic meters of desalinated seawater daily, while the Marigondon project is expected to deliver 30,000 cubic meters of desalinated seawater daily to the water district.

The Cordova project is expected to be completed next year. The procurement process for the Marigondon project is still ongoing, and the contractor is given 30 months to complete the project once the contract is signed.

Another desalination plant project will be in Canjulao and Maribago. The Canjulao plant is expected to deliver 25,000 cubic meters of water daily within 24 months from contract signing, while the Maribago project is expected to deliver 2,000 cubic meters of water within six months from contract signing.

Philkonstrak Development Corp., the contractor of the pipe-laying project, has been given 265 working days or 10 months from contract signing to complete the project.

MCWD General Manager Edgar Donoso has made it a policy to hold a weekly meeting with the contractor and MCWD’s project monitoring team to ensure the project is implemented smoothly and on schedule.

MCWD has also completed the bidding for a bulk water supply project in Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, which can deliver up to 15,000 cubic meters of water per day.

The new transmission and distribution lines are necessary to reach more households within Mactan Island and increase MCWD’s demand coverage in the area. MCWD also has an ongoing pipeline expansion project implemented on General Aviation Road and Bangkal Road.

It has issued notices of award for other transmission and distribution pipeline projects to be implemented in Basak to Marigondon, as well as on P. Rodriguez St. The bidding process for another transmission pipeline project on P. Rodriguez St. is also ongoing.

In anticipation of the additional volume of water, MCWD is also preparing the detailed engineering design for 10 distribution line expansion projects that can serve more than 15,000 new service connections.

MCWD is serving 19 out of 30 barangays in Lapu-Lapu City, but barangays Babag, Maribago, and Punta Engaño do not have 24-hour water supply due to inadequate supply.

The pipeline expansion projects are a crucial step toward improving water access and meeting the growing demand for potable water in Lapu-Lapu City, MCWD said. (PR)