Residents in three mountain villages in Cebu City celebrated the commissioning of new water distribution lines Friday, ending decades of reliance on unsafe and difficult-to-obtain water sources.

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) and J.E. Hydro and Bio-Energy Corporation (JEHBEC), in collaboration with Cebu City officials, activated the pipelines in Barangays Malubog, Budlaan and Agsungot. The project will benefit 605 households, encompassing approximately 5,300 people.

Kimbo Dublin, an Agsungot resident for over 50 years, expressed his joy to reporters, saying they finally have access to MCWD water. He recounted the previous arduous task of fetching water daily from a deep well. When that source ran dry, they had to travel to neighboring villages and pay around P150 per barrel.

Mauricio and Liza Ubas, a couple from Agsungot with poultry and food businesses, said water was a critical need. Mauricio told reporters that the new water connection will save them time and effort in fetching water, potentially leading to fuel savings.

Separately, MCWD and the Cebu City government also launched mobile siphon tanks (MSTs) in Barangays Buot and Paril in preparation for the anticipated dry season.

MSTs are mobile units that draw water from rivers, lakes, ponds, and other surface sources, treating it on-site to produce clean and potable water.

Each MST has three water containers. The first holds raw water drawn from the river, which is then processed. Polyaluminum chloride is added to coagulate silt, dirt, and other impurities. The water is then filtered and disinfected with chlorine.

The second container holds clean water used for backwashing, a process to clean the filters of collected sediment. The third container stores the treated, potable water, equipped with two faucets for residents to collect their supply.