Restricted water service draws netizen outcry against MCWD

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Several Cebu residents expressed frustration after the Metropolitan Cebu Water District announced that some areas would no longer receive 24-hour water supply.

Many said limited water service hours were already a long-standing problem in their communities. Others questioned why their bills remained high despite weak or interrupted supply.

“2026 na lang, mao gihapon ang problema sa MCWD. Wala gyud improvement ang service, water bills ra ang niumento,” one netizen commented.

(It is already 2026, yet MCWD still has the same problem. Its service has not improved, but water bills have increased.)

READ: Some Cebu City areas lose 24-hour MCWD water supply

Early morning water interruption

Another commenter said households in Mohon, Tisa, had not received round-the-clock water since 2023.

“My neighbors and I have to wake up as early as 3:20 a.m. just to store water because the supply is cut off again at 6 a.m.,” the resident commented.

The commenter added that MCWD customer service allegedly told them they “just have to adjust.”

READ: MCWD defends finances amid bankruptcy fears, water rate uproar

Years of limited supply

Residents from Bulacao and other parts of southern Cebu City also said they had lived with short water-supply windows for years.

“Wala gyud na mahitabo ang 24/7 water supply sa MCWD. 3 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. ang agas diri amoa sa Bulacao,” one commenter said.

Another said water in their area would arrive at around 3 a.m. and stop by 6 a.m.

Some residents also raised concerns about billing.

“Pwede ra man way agas basta ang bill dili pod mokalit og taas,” one netizen wrote.

(It may be understandable to have no water, as long as the bill does not suddenly increase.)

Others criticized MCWD for asking consumers to adjust instead of finding long-term solutions before El Niño arrives.

Several commenters also called for better infrastructure, including new water sources and desalination facilities.

Why MCWD reduced the supply

MCWD said it reduced production at the Jaclupan Water Facility to prevent the source from running dry before the next rainy season.

The facility’s output dropped from 30,000 cubic meters per day to 20,000 cubic meters per day.

MCWD General Manager John Dx Lapid described the measure as “pressure management,” not rationing.

Lapid said returning to a 24-hour supply could exhaust the Jaclupan source in about three months.

“Gi-manage nato mao na nga naa nay areas nga dili na 24 hours ang supply,” he said.

(We are managing the pressure. This is the reason where there are now areas where water does not flow round the clock.)

MCWD aims to distribute the available water during specific hours so the source can last through the expected dry period.

Jaclupan’s coverage

The Jaclupan facility serves Talisay City and parts of southern and central Cebu City. Around 30,000 households could lose a major water source if it dries up.

MCWD currently produces about 263,941 cubic meters of water daily. Demand has reached around 280,000 cubic meters, leaving a daily shortfall of more than 16,000 cubic meters.

The water utility also loses around eight million liters daily because of leaks, theft, and other system inefficiencies.

MCWD said it was rehabilitating wells and reducing these losses to address the supply gap.

Lapid also assured consumers that the utility would not raise water rates because of El Niño.

READ: Deepening water crisis

MCWD urged households to conserve water, repair leaks, and store enough water during scheduled service interruptions./with reports from Pia Piquero

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