Vivant Water boosts Metro Cebu supply with desalination plant

MANILA, Philippines – Vivant Water has boosted Metro Cebu’s water supply, benefiting about 7,500 households as it began partial operations of its seawater desalination facility.

The company said on Thursday that the network of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) has started receiving an initial 5,000 cubic meters (cu.m.) of desalinated water from Isla Mactan Cordova Corp. (IMCC), a Vivant Water subsidiary.

READ: Restricted water service draws netizen outcry against MCWD

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Desalination converts seawater into potable water, reducing reliance on traditional freshwater sources in water-stressed areas.

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Once fully operational, the plant will supply its full 20,000-cu.m. daily commitment, enough to serve about 30,000 households.

MCWD signed a 25-year water supply agreement with Vivant in April 2025.

“The sooner we bring climate-resilient sources online, the sooner we can help reduce stress on our aquifers and protect the natural resources that Cebu’s future depends on,” Vivant Water president Jess Anthony Garcia said in a statement.

The project comes as water providers ramp up efforts to secure reliable supplies amid the looming effects of El Niño.

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El Niño, a weather phenomenon marked by the abnormal warming of Pacific Ocean surface temperatures, often results in drought, erratic rainfall and stronger heat waves.

As noted by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. the phenomenon may intensify later this year and persist until early 2027.

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READ: Vivant allots P67B for power, water expansion

Meanwhile, Vivant Corp. has earmarked P7 billion for water projects, including expanding its desalination and wastewater businesses and distribution networks.

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Beyond water, the listed Cebu-based conglomerate also has investments in power generation.