Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., a joint venture between Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. and J.V. Angeles Construction Corp., has started construction of a P12.6-billion bulk water supply project in Davao City.
Aboitiz Equity said in a statement it held a ceremonial construction kick-off for the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project Monday to signal the start of the project’s three-year construction phase that began with engineering design works early this year.
Apo Agua plans to start operations by the first half of 2021.
The bulk water project is a strategic infrastructure initiative that will shift the dependence of Davao City’s main water supply from groundwater wells to the more sustainably-sourced surface water from the Tamugan River.
Set to be the largest private bulk water supply facility in the country, the P12.6-billion project will provide the Davao City Water District with over 300 million liters per day of safe water.
The treated water will be distributed to over one million residents through the DCWD’s five water systems, namely Dumoy, Calinan, Tugbok, Panacan and Cabantian, as well as three additional new water systems in Talandang, Mandug and Indangan.
“As a long standing partner of Davao City for over 70 years, we at Aboitiz are excited to be working with JVACC in order to provide current and future generations of Davaoeños with a sustainable, safe, and dependable source of bulk water supply. Our proven partnership with the Davao City Water District has led us to today’s momentous event where we celebrate the start of construction of our project,” Apo Agua president Romàn Azanza III said.
The project’s water treatment facility will be powered by renewable energy from a hydroelectric power plant.
By tapping the Tamugan River, the project will provide quality and ample quantity of water that will enable the DCWD to temporarily shut down many of its groundwater well sources.
Aboitiz Equity said the new source would ensure the preservation of the city’s water table and save it from irreversible environmental degradation such as land subsidence and saltwater intrusion.