The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System has unveiled a new water security and sustainability roadmap with new water sources projects in the pipeline that will provide adequate potable water in the next 10 to 25 years.
Speaking at the Management Association of the Philippines CEO Forum headed by Maynilad president Ramoncito S. Fernandez the other day at The Peninsula, MWSS administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco presented a new set of water projects that can produce 3,000 million liters daily (mld) in the next five years consisting of the 600 MLD Kaliwa Dam, the 500 MLD Montalban dam and the development of the 1,950 mld “ABC” projects as alternative sources of water.
According to Velasco, “this would involve taking advantage of the untapped and water wastage from Angat, reviving the Bayabas Dam Project, and pushing for the Candaba Multi-Purpose Impounding Dam project.
Combined, these so called ‘ABC’ projects have a potential of producing 1,950 million liters of water per day, which will largely complement the existing capacity of Angat Dam, the main source of water of Metro Manila.
Velasco added that unlike other major water projects that would take so many years to construct, all these three projects can be started and completed in the span of three to four years, well within the tenure of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The MWSS chief also disclosed about Wawa dam proponent Oscar Violago and his new partner about their intention to construct an 82-meter dam in Montalban primarily to help mitigate flooding in the province of Rizal and to produce 500 MLD through a PPP scheme.
Long term, the MWSS chief said there is now a policy shift of constructing the 3,300 mld Kanan Dam over the 1,800 mld Laiban Dam project on account of the high social engineering cost of relocating 4,900 settlers.
Reacting to the pronouncements of the MWSS chief, Maynilad COO Randy Estrellado lauded the water agency under the present leadership for its bold and openness to venture into new water sources to meet the increasing demands of growth in terms population and development to include the greater challenge of climate change.
“It’s really unfortunate that we have wasted six years to build new water sources during the past administration. We commend Administrator Velasco and the MWSS Board of Trustees chaired by retired Judge Franklin Monteverde for their proactive approach and pragmatism to insure water security and sustainability.”
For his part, Manila Water COO Ding Carpio supported the new water projects being pushed by MWSS even as he expressed elation that these new water sources projects will further assuage the overall water security blanket of Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal and Bulacan especially since 96 percent of water sources come from the Angat-Umiray-Ipo water system.
“It’s reassuring, to say the least, given our over dependence on water from Angat dam. With these new water sources projects, we are assured that we are not just everything our water supply from one basket especially with the constant threat of the El Nino phenomenon and the possible occurrence of the Big One,” added Carpio.
According to Velasco, Angat Dam has been rehabilitated to strengthen it in case a 7.2-magnitude earthquake occurs.
On the ABC Project, Velasco said that not many are aware that the untapped and water wastage from Angat is about 21 centimeters.
“To fully maximize this, the conduct of a feasibility study is now in order on the Angat unutilized water that could produce at least 1,200 mld,” Velasco.
“This unutilized water can be equally divided among the three MWSS concessionaires to be derived from the extraction points which would also entail the rehabilitation of the Norzagaray River.
As for the Bayabas Dam Project in Doña Remedios, Trinidad, Bulacan, the dam project could produce 250 mld corollary to the Bustos Dam and complement as flood mitigation and even irrigation in Bulacan.
According to Velasco, the Bayabas project is best suited to Bulacan Bulk Water Corporation which has the mandate to source new water especially on account of the planned international airport in Bulacan. Bulacan Bulk Water is owned by San Miguel Holdings Corp. and Korea Water Resources Corporation.
Meanwhile, another project that must be seriously considered is the Candaba Multi-Purpose Impounding Dam, which could serve as a flood control, irrigation and even eco-tourism for Pampanga.
“This project perhaps could be a good legacy project of House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who hails from Pampanga,” Velasco said.
The Candaba project can produce 500 mld of potable water for the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan and Tarlac.
“While this is outside MWSS territory, it would be a good trade off with NIA [National Irrigation Administration] for the 21,000 cms from Angat,” Velasco said.
Part of the New Centennial Water Source Project (NCWSP) and among the ‘legacy’ water projects being pursued now by MWSS is the construction of the Kaliwa Dam in Brgy. Pagsangahan, General Nakar, Quezon and Brgy. Magsaysay, Infanta, Quezon.
The P12.2-billion Kaliwa Dam Project, which would have a capacity of 600 million liters a day (MLD), is expected to be completed in 2023.