Utilities & Mobile Metro Water Dumaguete

Apparently, Metro Dumaguete Water (formerly the Dumaguete Water District) is going to invest 524 million in improvements to their infrastructure in the next 5 years.
The problem with that is that we're talking about a company with around 35,000 customers, most of whom pay the minimum charge of 200 peso a month for their water supply.
Now hopefully there's going to be an agency that follows these investments meticulously (which seems doubtful), because these investments will inevitably lead to a major increase of the minimum charge to their customers.
Obviously, major investments are very much needed for a company that doesn't get paid for more than 40% of the water it pumps (system losses, aka leaks).
However, a company with yearly revenue that doesn't exceed 100m p.a. (by my estimate) can hardly afford such investments without raising their revenue substantially, as in raising it by 50% at least.
There's at least three reasons to be upset about this.
a) the City is to blame for causing the situation with the bad leaks (lack of maintenance) prior to the takeover by MDW in 2021
b) We're talking about a life necessity here, and a 50% increase in cost will be devastating for poor people
c) 40% production losses are environmentally very very bad indeed. Despite the devastating rainfall at times from passing storms, our area suffers increasing periods of draught and accompanying drops in groundwater levels.

All in all, while hoping for the best outcome, I fear that's not going to be the case.

 

As of 2025, the population of Dumaguete City is estimated to be 142,171 people based on recent census data. If MDW has 35.000 consumers it means that more than 100.000 people do not have a water connection, or have their own source or cannot afford to pay the monthly bill.
Instead of making an investment for the estimated amount, a much higher priority should be to reduce the system losses aka as leaks.

 

There are many large and very large families in Dumaguete meaning all the people using the water supply in a house don't have an account with the water company.
If you divide 142,171 by 35,000 consumers then it comes out at 4.062 so i think dutchies figure is probably accurate.

 

There's probably more than 35,000 households in Dumaguete, but the 35,000 is fairly accurate for the number of connections to the local water distribution system. The difference between the two means there are still (several thousand?) households who buy their water from a neighbour by the bucket because they don't have their own connection.

 

MDW press release as of March 13, 2026
DUMAGUETE CITY – Metro Dumaguete Water is strengthening its operational efficiency as fuel price
hike driven by the Middle East crisis is projected to impact water production costs.
The water utility company, which draws water from 22 deep wells through diesel-powered pumps,
said the cost of delivering water to the more than 30,000 households and accounts in its service area could double as fuel prices are predicted to reach over P80 per liter if the war in the Middle East continues.
Chief Operating Officer Engr. Robert R. Cabiles said that aside from using oil by-products to draw water from the aquifer, the company also uses gasoline and diesel for their other equipment and their motor vehicles.
“While operating costs continue to rise, we call on our consumers to observe responsible water use
to contribute to the sustainability of our groundwater sources and reliable service,” Cabiles said.
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This is unwarranted scaremongering by a company that works to provide a service to all Dumaguete residents.
The problem is that this company is not transparent about their exploitation. The company website has no link to any financial report since inception.
However, even with good information lacking, it is easy to hazard a guess that fuel costs represent much less than half of the total costs at this company.
To then make an announcement that a rise in the cost of diesel from 50 peso to 80 peso (a 60% increase) could double the total cost of providing water to customers is incongruous.
Hopefully the city council is paying attention and will exercise their influence to keep our water bills in check.

As an aside, yes if we want to insure that there will be a much improved drinking water availability (pressure and quality) there should be a restructuring of the way customers are billed. In my view a change like this:

1. A fixed connection-delivery fee per connection, households at 100 peso per month, small businesses at 1,000 , big businesses at 10,000
2. A very low tariff per cubic meter for the first 5 m3 (at half the production cost)
3. A regular tariff per m3 at full production cost for the next 10 m3
4. A high tariff at 50% above production cost for everything above the first 15 m3

That way poor families are spared, and the rest of us pay for the necessary system fixes and upgrades.

 

Selling buckets is a potentially growth area then. Cheap water is good and better. Don't think the technically wealthy here care if water is 4 times it's current price.Whereas some lower down do and the very poor ain't going to be paying it regardless. These are the facts imo, like the electrics here having a cut of water day happens anyway, especially when it rains. So more water = less water - only in the Philippines.