The perennial water shortage in Metro Manila and the areas to its eastern borders may yet be resolved in two years, according to the proponents of a new project.
The assurance comes on the heels of the approval by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System of the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project, a joint venture between businessmen Enrique Razon’s Prime Infra and Oscar Violago’s San Lorenzo Ruiz Builders Group.
READ: Razon offers to invest $300m in Wawa project
With the MWSS’ approval, Razon says, the project will make sure at least 80 million liters of water a day will be available in 2021 for the areas served by Manila Water.
“We thank the decisive leadership of the MWSS for the approval of the project, and assure them of our commitment to help in solving the current water crisis, said Razon, chairman of Prime Infra.
The project will tap water from the Wawa Dam in Rizal province to add supply to Manila Water's concession areas. Up to 500 million liters a day are expected to be added to the supply by 2025 to raise Manila Water's supply by 30 percent.
Wawa Dam was the primary water source of Metro Manila before Angat dam was built.
The Razon-led venture is prepared to invest up to P20 billion for the project to ensure water-supply security over the medium- and long-term.
“Our project is one of the fastest and most sustainable ways to solve this current water crisis. If we don’t act now this will be a recurring problem, Razon said.
SLRB president and chief executive Anthony Jude Violago thanked the MWSS, Manila Water and Razon for hammering out a "win-win formula" to the much-delayed project.
The project had been in the works for 20 years, including two years of joint development work between Razon and Violago.
“After 20 years, my father’s vision will finally come to fruition. Water will now flow to Metro Manila residents, solving the current water problems, he said.
MWSS Chairman Franklin Demonteverde and MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco announced the agency's approval of the joint venture on May 23. The approval was made in two separate board meetings on May 9 and 22.
The MWSS and the Office of the Government Corporate Council are finalizing the remaining issues on the project.
“We look forward to finalizing the remaining issues on the on-going review of the OGCC and the MWSS-Regulatory Office to accelerate project execution, considering the criticality of delivering the much-needed water supply in the east zone, said Guillaume Lucci, Prime Infra president, and COO.
Velasco said securing water supply was one of the cornerstones of his administration, and the Wawa bulk water supply project was a critical and an integral part of the vision.
“It is among the priority initiatives committed to President Rodrigo Duterte in addressing the current water supply deficit that government resources cannot afford, and this is the reason why a private sector-led development of bulk supply of water was sought, Velasco said in a statement.