Cisco has partnered with the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) to upgrade Metro Cebu’s water distribution infrastructure through digital transformation, aiming to boost supply reliability and operational efficiency.
Under the initiative—part of Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) program—MCWD will deploy Cisco’s advanced networking and industrial edge technologies to reduce non-revenue water (NRW) by 15 percent across its network. NRW refers to treated water lost before reaching end users, a critical issue driven largely by aging infrastructure. Metro Cebu currently loses roughly 32 percent of its water supply annually due to outdated valves, ageing pipelines, undetected leaks and pressure fluctuations, even as demand continues to rise.
The solution uses smart sensors to monitor water flow and pressure in real time, feeding data into a centralized SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) platform. This gives operations teams full visibility of the network, enabling early detection of anomalies such as sudden pressure drops or irregular flow patterns—helping prevent costly pipe bursts and unaccounted-for water loss.
“Metro Cebu continues to face increasing pressure on its water resource management and reducing operational losses is critical to ensuring long-term supply reliability,” said John DX S. Lapid, MCWD general manager. “With Cisco’s technology, we now have real-time insight into our distribution system, allowing us to respond faster to issues and deliver more efficient, reliable water services across Metro Cebu.”
Zaza Soriano-Nicart, managing director of Cisco Philippines, noted the partnership extends beyond operational improvements. “Cisco’s real-time intelligence across MCWD’s infrastructure will strengthen the community’s resilience. That’s what the digital era is about: secure, connected technology solving real problems, improving lives, and narrowing the digital divide. This collaboration also sets a benchmark for our public utilities, showing how technology can modernize operations and support broader sustainability goals,” she added.
The system will first be piloted in the F. Pacaña area. Built with scalability in mind, the framework can be expanded across Metro Cebu to expand monitoring and further reduce NRW without requiring full system redesign. The project marks a key step in securing the region’s water supply, leveraging digital tools to safeguard and efficiently deliver an essential public resource.
