Investing in Water (Cebu Investment)

Water is a scarce commodity and where there is water, they are not usually safe for

human consumption or maybe they are too far away from urban centers where it is most need.

For Metro Cebu, the present shortfall is likely about 300 million liters or 300,000 cubic meters of water per day. So Metro Cebu Water District has invited investors to put up desalination plants in areas like Mactan, Talisay, Cebu City, Mandaue City and Consolacion.

But desalination of sea water is energy intensive and there has not been any detailed study of the effect of the release of the brine back into the sea on the marine flora and fauna. Because of the large capital involved and the high operating expense, desalinated water is sold in bulk at 70 pesos or more per cubic meter. This high price is eventually passed on the customers. There is therefore a need to balance this water supply with those where the water treatment and the potable water would be cheaper to produce.

Cities with rivers flowing nearby or through it can source their drinking water from these rivers. Many years ago, people had only to dig a well along the riverbanks and drank from them. This was when the rivers were not yet polluted.

There are 7 rivers within the territorial jurisdiction of Cebu City, though these are small. Water from these rivers can be harvested for treatment and supplied to the Water District. This can be sold at virtually half the price of desalinated water because the cost of harvesting and treatment of river water is much lower than desalination. Practically, the cleaner the river, the less costly it would be to produce potable water. Hence, river clean-up should be done together with harvesting and the communities along the river banks should be enlightened as to how not to pollute the river. More importantly, the houses and pollution sources specially along the river easement must be removed.

Technology has advanced so that treatment plants can be set-up within in a 500 square meter area. The facility can therefore be located higher-up and farther from the pollution.

A large part of the investment would be spent on the piping from the treatment plant to the injection point of the Water District so it is very important to find suitable locations for the treatment plant possibly nearer to the injection point.

Since the technology behind this water treatment is proven, the river water is perpetually available (unless the river dries up) and because the demand for potable water would not likely decrease, then this type of project would definitely be a good and stable investment, with more than a decent return.

So let us invest in water.

Elnar Lape Lastimoso & Associates - Law Firm Cebu | Cebu Lawyers

Unit 9, Albulario Building II, General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City 6000

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