The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and National Irrigation Administration have formed an alliance to share their resources in support of the government’s massive infrastructure program aimed at spurring economic development.
Administrators Reynaldo V. Velasco of MWSS and Ricardo R. Visaya of NIA have agreed to solve water and food security problems of their stakeholders by undertaking joint projects, including those aimed at flood mitigation to maintain ecological balance and preserve the environment.
Meeting with NIA officials, Velasco explained that while there is adequate water supply in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces covered by MWSS, additional water sources need to be developed to ensure water security. He revealed that of the water supplied to MWSS service areas, 96 percent comes from the Angat-Umiray Water system, three percent from Laguna Lake and one percent from ground water. Except for the Angat-Umiray Water system, MWSS has not developed new water sources for the past few decades.
At present, MWSS is implementing several water infrastructure projects that include the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project and other projects collectively called the Angat Water Security Projects.
Velasco noted that of MWSS’ 46 cubic meters per second (cms) of water rights, 15 cms is from the NIA’s 36 cms water rights, pursuant to Resolution No. 03-0188 of the National Water Resources Board, leaving NIA with 21 cms equivalent to 1,814 million liters per day. NIA’s Bustos Dam currently has 600 MLD water capacity, leaving 1,214 MLD that can be tapped for potable water supply.
MWSS recently entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with ITP-JV Co. for the conduct of a feasibility study on the possible utilization of the untapped water. ITP-JV Co. has submitted an unsolicited proposal to extract an average flow of 800 MLD, of which 400 MLD will augment the water supply of Bulacan, and 400 MLD will be used by MWSS. As proposed, the water extraction will be done in two phases: Phase 1, which will extract 250 MLD, will be completed by 2020-2021 while Phase 2 which will extract 550 MLD will be completed by 2022-2024. This will be the first of the ABC Projects and will form part of the Angat-Ipo-Norzagaray Water Optimization Plan.
Visaya lauded the plan saying it manifests both agencies’ support for the “Build. Build, Build” Program of the Duterte Administration. He added that through efficient partnerships among government agencies, and between the public and private sectors, the water sources for present and future needs can be developed.
The other components of the ABC Projects are the Bayabas Dam Project and the Candaba Multi-Purpose Impounding Dam. The Bayabas Dam Project is located in Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan.
The completion of these projects will provide the desired water security level for Mega Manila at least over the next five to ten years. For NIA, it will also mean sufficient water supply for irrigation as it fulfills its objective of propelling agricultural productivity, economic growth, and food sufficiency.