Metro Manila and neighboring provinces under the coverage of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) are assured of adequate water supply until the end of the concession agreement in 2037.
Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco made the assurance at a recent news forum in Quezon City, where he laid out the details of the Duterte administration’s water security program.
Aside from Velasco, those who graced the Real News Forum were MWSS Regulatory Office Chief Regulator lawyer Patrick Ty, Maynilad’s Assistant Vice President for Corporate Communications head Jennifer C. Rufo and Manila Water’s Corporate Communications Head Jeric Sevilla Jr.
The MWSS is looking at solving the problem of water at least initially up to 2037, Velasco said.
MWSS has already identified projects that could be undertaken within the duration of President Duterte’s term. Potential medium-term water sources are the Laguna Lake, 900 millions of liters per day (mld); Sumag River, 188 mld; Tayabasan River, 175 mld and Wawa River, 500 mld.
The Wawa Dam project has been proposed by Oscar Violago and involves the construction of an 82-meter dam in Montalban in the province of Rizal and could produce 500 mld to augment water coming from Angat Dam. International Container Terminal Services Inc. owner Enrique Razon has partnered with Violago and expressed interest in the project. The project would be undertaken under a joint venture agreement or public-private partnership but would still be subject to Swiss challenge.
A feasibility study on the project is being undertaken and is expected to be done in six months. Velasco said all inputs such as financial costing of those involved, including the concessionaire, should be considered.
The MWSS Board would do an audit review of the study and it is up to the board to approve it. Under the plan, Manila Water will buy raw water coming from the dam and treat the water to maintain its quality and standard. The quality of water would impact on how the water will cost.
Pursuing the Wawa Dam project is more cost efficient and faster to implement. According to Velasco, MWSS is guided by two things in undertaking new water source projects: “mabilis gawin at mura ang tubig [fast completion and cheaper product cost].”
Aside from these potential medium-term sources, MWSS is also proposing the development of the A-B-C projects as alternative sources of water with a combined capacity to 1,950 mld. The projects include maximizing the untapped water and water wastage from Angat; the Bayabas Dam Project in Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan; and the Candaba Multi-Purpose Impounding Dam in Pampanga. All these projects can be completed within the term of President Duterte.
The MWSS leadership under Velasco was commended by Sevilla and Rufo for MWSS’s vision is not only of having enough but having buffer supply of water, as well as to prepare for the burgeoning population and rapid industrialization.
“The aim is to have [a] water secure concession area of MWSS. Manila Water is working closely with MWSS regarding the medium-term water sources,” Sevilla said.
For her part, Rufo lauded the MWSS leadership and management for addressing water security as a lynchpin for continuing provision of adequate and potable water to serviced areas.
In the same forum, Velasco assured the concessionaires that MWSS respects the concession agreement and abides by its mandate to look for new water sources.
A long-term water source project, the Kaliwa Dam has been awarded to China Energy under the official development assistance scheme. It involves the design and construction of a 60-meter-high dam and a 27.70-kilometers raw water conveyance tunnel. No new surface water source has been developed for over 34 years until now.