A barangay in Cebu City may have to double efforts to conserve water after one of its water sources is drying up due to the hot weather.
Four sitios of Barangay Busay have been experiencing water supply problems, GMA Cebu's Vic Serna reported Tuesday.
Worse, water rations from the City Hall have not been very frequent since the water source in Sitio Lower in Barangay Busay dried up as early as March.
Also affected by the water shortage are animals and even vegetables and flowers.
Private water truck owner Crispin Prantar has increased the prices of his water delivery service due to the short supply.
Prantar now sells water at P7 per container – more than double the P3 when the city's Department of Public Services was regularly delivering water.
The barangay is now considering acquiring a submersible pump to use in Sitio Garaje, to supply the affected residents with water.
For now, the residents may have to depend on Prantar's water truck delivery for their supply.
Dams drying up
Elsewhere in Cebu, GMA Cebu's Mark Anthony Bautista reported dams at the Jaclupan water facility in Talisay City have been drying up as well.
This has affected residents of Sitio Tabok-Sapa in Barangay Jaclupan as three of four water lines had gone dry.
Water pressure had also weakened for the other water lines, while the river in Barangay Jaclupan has started to dry up.
"Apektado talaga kami dahil sa init, wala na ngang tubig ang ilog kaya ngayon nagba-budget kami para makagamit rin ang iba," said resident Renato Elnace.
But some who set up water refilling stations are seeing brisk business.
"Opo lalo ngayong tag-init," said Lilia Elegin, when asked if her water refilling business had picked up.
The Metropolitan Cebu Water District said the water it produced had gone down from 42,000 to 21,000 cubic meters due to the drying of its basin.
Eight of 15 water pumps at the Jaclupan water facility are working.
"We cannot assure there will be convenience but there will be water to drink," said Engineer Lasaro Salvacion, MCWD acting assistant general for operation.
However, MCWD assured there will still be enough water supply as it gets 18,000 cubic meters from Carmen town.
"We are doing our best. We also need cooperation of our customers during this El Niño that (may) last up to October. The best way is to save water," said Salvacion.
— Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News
