Aboitiz Davao bulk water project construction start set for Q4

DAVAO CITY — Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. (AAII) is aiming to start construction of its P10-billion Davao City bulk water supply project by the fourth quarter, months behind the original January 2017 target, as various government permits and documentary requirements remain pending.

AAII, a partnership between Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) and J.V. Angeles Construction Corp. (JVACC), acquired in March its environmental compliance certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) Region 11, AAII General Manager Cirilo C. Almario III told BusinessWorld.

However, the Certification for Eligibility to Convert the land for the water source area at the Tamugan River remains pending, along with city council approval for the construction of the water treatment plant.

“Construction may not proceed without the issuance of the conversion certification,” Mr. Almario said.

The Tamugan River is one of the declared protected watershed areas in the city.

AAII has an exclusive contract with the Davao City Water District (DCWD) for the project that will supply 300 million liters of water per day for 30 years, beginning 2019.

The project infrastructure includes a weir, a hydropower plant, and pipelines of about eight kilometers going to the water treatment facility. A 55-kilometer network of supply lines will also be rolled out towards the eight existing reservoirs of DCWD.

The bulk supply project will allow the shift of Davao City’s main water supply source from ground water to surface water, which will preserve aquifers and allow them to recharge. —