CEBU — Governor Gwendolyn Garcia announced on Tuesday that two major river systems in Cebu province, the Mananga River in Talisay City and the Lusaran River in Cebu City, are set to undergo desilting operations. The initiative aims to address the persistent water shortages in the area by clearing the riverbeds of soil deposits.
According to Philippines News Agency, the provincial government is collaborating with the Metropolitan Cebu Water District to implement desilting measures designed to remove silt, sand, or soil deposits that have accumulated in the rivers. These deposits have been carried by flowing water and dropped at various points along the rivers, particularly at bends or openings. The desilting process is crucial as it will allow for the restoration of the rivers’ depths, which are essential for their capacity to provide water. Currently, the rivers are underperforming, with the 15-kilometer Mananga River providing only 6,000 cubic meters of water per day and the 6.5-kilometer Lusaran River contributing 8,000 cubic meters, significantly below their potential of 30,000 cubic meters each.
The effort to clear river beds of obstructions such as boulders and silt is expected to enhance water flow and prevent stagnant water deposits. The governor also mentioned that the capitol would issue special permits to contractors to begin the desilting work in the Mananga River. This follows a similar successful desilting operation at Carmen’s Luyang River on April 29, which has since increased its daily water delivery to 35 million liters.