As high temperature hits surface water sources in the metropolis, the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) has requested a private water firm here to increase production from brackish water to augment supply to the consumers.

Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara, spokesperson of MCWD, in a radio report on Tuesday, said the humid temperature ranging from 36 to 41 degrees Celsius has affected the water district’s Jaclupan facility, while Metro Cebu has been experiencing dry weather in the past few weeks now as no ample rain came.

The low water supply of MCWD has affected around five thousand households in the cities of Cebu and Talisay, with the Mananga River that supplies water to Jaclupan facility has low water level.

To address low water supply to its consumers, MCWD tapped Pilipinas Water Resources Inc. to double its 5,000 cubic meter water supply per day, by pumping around 10,000 cubic meter per day.

Low water pressure and shortened water service hours were experienced by consumers living in some portions of Talisay and several villages in this city including Bulacao, Basak-Pardo, Mambaling, Guadalupe, Banawa area, Capitol Site, Sta. Cruz, Sambag 1, Sambag 2, Calamba, Kaputhaw, Inayawan, and Basak-San Nicolas.

From an average of 30,000 cubic meters per day, the Jaclupan facility’s production has decreased to 27,000 cubic meters during the weekend and settled to 25,000 cubic meters per day starting on Monday (Sept. 30).

When water production from Buhisan dam decreased, MCWD started pumping out water from the Jaclupan facility to supply water to villages serviced by the Buhisan dam facility.

Kara said as the demand for water differs every hour, and MCWD could not estimate reduction of service hours in affected areas in the metropolis.

The spokesperson of the water district, however, appealed to consumers to store water during off-peak hours.

Aside from the MCWD, private suppliers in northern Cebu have also been affected by the water shortage.

In the northern town of Carmen, water development production went down to 3,000 cubic meters per day due to low production of water at the Luyang River.

Abejo Waters Corp. that supplies in Consolacion town also dropped its water supply to 7,000 cubic meters per day, due to saltwater intrusion. (PNA)