CEBU CITY: Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia on Monday said the city government is eyeing a public-private partnership (PPP) for an upland water dam project to boost local water supply. In a press conference, Garcia said the effort to collect rainwater is part of a bigger plan to rid the city of privately undertaken water drilling that has caused saltwater intrusion into the city's aquifer. According to Philippines News Agency, the move is in response to the call of the Regional Development Council-7 (Central Visayas) to improve freshwater sources, following the reported intrusion of seawater into the coastal villages due to depleting underground water. The mayor explained that digging for water in the household, as well as in commercial establishments, resulted from a lack of supply from the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD). 'The Cebu metropolitan area that is under the franchise area of MCWD has a demand of 500 to 550 million liters per day (MLD). Right now, it can produce 200 to 250 MLD. Where are the people ge tting their water?' he said. MCWD denied digging permit applications, but the city has monitored many private drilling activities. The dam project, Garcia said, will boost supply to MCWD, and can be implemented through PPP, similar to the water desalination projects approved by the MCWD. 'Without a dam, 90 percent of rainwater goes to the sea,' he noted.