The edge of Davao City
Davao City Water District is known worldwide for its excellent quality of water that comes from the city’s aquifers. By latest count, DCWD serves more or less 300,000 households and there is no stopping the influx of migrants and increase of business and population on account of the stable peace and order condition that pervaded under the Duterte leadership. DCWD operates several water systems, including one that draws surface water from Malagos River. The others run production wells to extract water from aquifers.
To avert over-extraction of groundwater that may result in catastrophic intrusion of saltwater into the aquifers, DCWD entered into a joint-venture agreement with Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., a consortium of Aboitiz Equity Ventures and JV Angeles Construction Company, to undertake a bulk water project that comprehends of tapping the surface water of Tamugan and Panigan Rivers located about 50 kilometers west of the city proper. The mega-project, which was originally estimated to cost P12.5 billion, will initially supply 300 million liters daily to present consumers plus additional households and industrial establishments from seven other barangays, which are either not served or under-served.
Surveys and acquisitions of road right-ofway are ongoing and so with the mobilization of equipment. The infrastructure for the bulk water supply project consists of a weir, the intake point, a desander where silts and other debris are removed, a surge tank that would control the impact of flowing water all the way down to the water treatment facility where a mini-hydropower plant is also located. The hydropower is designed to provide renewable energy to the complex that will also house DCWD’s laboratory and huge water reservoirs. From there, treated water will be delivered by gravity to DCWD’s various water systems.
Sustainability of surface water in Tamugan and Panigan is of primordial importance. It is a feather in the cap of the Davao City Watershed Management Council and DCWD Board headed by its chairman Ed Bangayan and its management led by Edwin Regalado that the water district has sustained its reforestation and conservation program in various recharge areas in Davao City’s protected watersheds. DCWD, too, employs environment watchdogs from local communities that monitor any illegal activities in the watershed areas. With Apo Agua as its partner, the engagement of more people in the community will be enhanced and additional project undertakings under their respective social responsibility programs will insure the sustainability of forest conservation and rehabilitation and security of vital installations of the bulk water project.
This year, being an election year, I still have to hear a candidate include in his or her agenda the protection of Davao City’s natural resources of rivers and streams, watersheds and our vital aquifers. It is about time for the City Government to impose an exclusion zone for location of harmful business activities proximate to the protected areas.