MCWD’s final 10 percent rate adjustment to take effect April 1

Local

CEBUANOS will face higher water bills starting April 1.

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) rolls out the final tranche of a phased rate increase approved by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).

The adjustment, equivalent to 10 percent, marks the last phase of a staggered rate hike first implemented in October 2025 following regulatory approval in August of the same year.

For residential users with a ½-inch meter, the minimum monthly charge covering the first 10 cubic meters will rise to P259.16, up by P23.56 from the current P235.60.

Beyond the minimum consumption, MCWD set new commodity charges at P28.64 per cubic meter for usage between 11 and 20 cubic meters, P33.71 for 21 to 30 cubic meters, and P82.52 per cubic meter for consumption exceeding 30 cubic meters.

MCWD said the increase is necessary to sustain operations and finance ongoing projects aimed at improving water service delivery across Metro Cebu.

Among these are efforts to reduce non-revenue water (NRW), which includes losses from leaks, illegal connections, and aging infrastructure, along with pipeline rehabilitation and the expansion of the distribution network to meet growing demand.

The water district also cited rising operational costs over the years, despite internal cost-control measures. It emphasized that the approved rate adjustment was based on long-term financial requirements and was not driven by short-term fluctuations such as fuel prices.

The rate hike traces its roots to an application filed by MCWD with LWUA, which included public consultations conducted in November 2022.

While initially scheduled earlier, the implementation was deferred pending regulatory review.

In August 2025, LWUA approved the increase and allowed its phased rollout to cushion the impact on consumers.

MCWD noted that the April 1 adjustment is part of its first rate increase in a decade. The last adjustment was implemented in 2015, with no increases imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a government-owned and controlled corporation, MCWD operates without subsidies from local or national governments, relying on internally generated revenues to fund operations and infrastructure projects.

MCWD serves more than 200,000 active connections across Metro Cebu and produces about 275,000 cubic meters of water daily. Its coverage spans the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay, as well as the municipalities of Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, and Cordova.

The utility draws supply from multiple sources, including wellfields in Cebu City and bulk water from northern Cebu, supporting distribution across its franchise area.(TGP)