MWSS eyes new water projects worth
Despite admitting that of all the pending major water projects only the Kaliwa Dam project can take off during the Duterte Administration, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) is now more optimistic that it can achieve more in the next four years.
After all, a new set of water projects that would cost 120 billion to build is now in the offing and MWSS is working double time to fast-track them.
To be specific, MWSS is now proposing the development of the “ABC” project as alternative sources of water, MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco said.
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 (mld), which will largely complement the existing capacity of Angat Dam, the main source of water of Metro Manila.
Velasco said in an interview on Friday that unlike other major water projects that would take so many years to construct, all these three projects can be completed in the span of two to three years, well within the tenure of President Rodrigo Duterte.
"All of these can be done within this administration," Velasco said. "The feasibility study for all three projects will come out in six months".
Angat Dam has been rehabilitated to strengthen it in case a 7.2-magnitude earthquake occurs. Now, Velasco said not many are aware that the untapped and water wastage from Angat is about 21 centimeters.
"To fully maximize this, I have ordered the conduct of a feasibility study on the Angat unutilized water that could produce at least 1,200 mld," Velasco said at the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) Water Forum held in Makati.
"This unutilized water can be equally divided among the three MWSS concessionaires to be derived from the extraction points," he added.
The venture, which would also entail the rehabilitation of the Norzagaray River, would cost around 113 billion to build, he later on said in the interview.
As for the Bayabas Dam Project in Doña Remedios, Trinidad, Bulacan — which could produce 250 mld corollary to the Bustos Dam and complement as flood mitigation and even irrigation in Bulacan — the project cost would be around 15 billion. This project, according to Velasco, 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. "Most likely this would be a PPP [public-private partnership] between MWSS and San Miguel," Velasco explained.
Meanwhile, another project that must be seriously considered, as per Velasco, is the Candaba MultiPurpose 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," Velasco said.
Arroyo represents Pampanga in Congress.
When asked for funding for the project, Velasco said it would cost 12.5 billion.
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.
In an earlier interview, Velasco said that only the Kaliwa Dam project may take off under the current regime.
Part of the New Centennial Water Source Project (NCWSP), 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 119-billion Kaliwa Dam Project,