Moalboal water project inaugurated

Local

THE longstanding water supply issues in certain barangays in Moalboal may soon be alleviated with the inauguration of the Cebu Provincial Government’s Level 3 Bulk Water Supply Project, held Monday, October 28, at the covered court of Barangay Saavedra.

Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia, Moalboal Mayor Inocentes Cabaron, Vice Mayor Paz Rozgoni, and Board Members Glenn Soco, Cesar Baricuatro, Loren Singco, Jerome Librando and the governor's daughter Carissa, led the ceremonial opening of the project.

In his speech, Cabaron, according to a report by Sugbo News, the social media arm of the Capitol, noted the previous difficulties residents faced in accessing water.

“Luoy kaayo ning mga taw diri sauna, Gov. Naay bugal-bugalon nga esturya nga ang taga diri kuno sa Saavedra, makaligo lang kuno og modam-ag og Siapo. Pero karon, dili na gyod na mahitabo. Kamong taga Saavedra, pwedi namo mag-shower (These people here had it hard before, Gov. There was even a joke that folks here in Saavedra could only bathe if they stumbled into Siapo. But now, that won’t happen anymore. People of Saavedra, you can now take showers),” he said.

The bulk water supply project aims to provide a more accessible and affordable alternative to water previously supplied by private vendors, which reportedly cost up to P250 per cubic meter.

The Capitol’s new rates are expected to be lower than those of the local water district, which currently charges households P11 per cubic meter for the first 10 cubic meters and P23.50 for commercial users.

Garcia confirmed that water tariffs will be set by the Provincial Water Resources Authority and approved by the Provincial Board.

Sourced from Budlot Spring in Barangay Bala, the water is directed through a newly constructed facility that includes a treatment plant, reservoir, and 63 kilometers of pipeline.

The connectivity reaches households across nine barangays, including Basdiot, Tubli, Poblacion West, Poblacion East, Tunga, Lanao, Bugho, and Bala.

The project, which cost approximately P317 million, is expected to benefit at least 8,690 households.

Additionally, the Capitol has installed “smart meters” in each household to monitor water usage, which will electronically transmit consumption data and payment records back to the Capitol.

This project is the first in a series of bulk water initiatives by the provincial government, with similar developments underway in 24 other local government units. The Capitol has allocated P3.3 billion this year alone for these water supply projects.

Moalboal is a first class municipality located approximately 85.7 kilometers away from Cebu City.(MyTVCebu)