As part of its overall goal to achieve water security during and beyond the term of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System has a crafted a water security roadmap that will provide potable and sustainable water supply in the next 10 years.
MWSS Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco presented the new MWSS water security roadmap in a Cabinet meeting last Monday including much needed complementary projects.
“Let me emphasize that it is only under the Duterte administration that has put premium on the need to construct new water supply sources starting with the 600 MLD Kaliwa Dam since Angat was last built in 1967 that continue to supply 4,000 MLD of water to Metro Manila and adjoining provinces,” said Velasco .
The present MWSS Board of Trustees and management have buckled down to work to insure that there will be water security during the Duterte administration with at least 1,518 MLD by 2022.
The MWSS chief identified the following short-term and medium water sources projects that are being fast-tracked, doable and implementable, namely: 150 MLD Putatan (2019); 100 MLD Cardona (2019); 188 MLD Sumag (2020); 50 MLD Rizal Wellfield (2020); 80 MLD Calawis Wawa (2021); 100 MLD Putatan 3 (2022); 250 MLD Lower Ipo; and, 600 MLD Kaliwa Dam (2023).
Being eyed as medium-term water source projects from 2023 to 2027 are the following: 420 MLD Wawa Dam; 250 MLD East Bay; 350 MLD Bayabas Dam; 550 MLD Angat Norzagaray Phase 2; 250 MLD East Bay; 750 MLD Sierra Madre; and 1,800 MLD Kanan River Phase 1.
According to Velasco, to complement the New Water Security Roadmap (2019-2022) will be the need to fast track the completion of Aqueduct 6 and Tunnel 4, both started during the Duterte Administration by the present MWSS Board and Management.
“The capacity of 1,600 MLD will be enough to bring more excess water from Angat-Ipo to La Mesa Dam next year,” says Velasco. “We hope to operationalize these two projects by January of 2020. In addition, Aqueduct 7 and Tunnel 5 are now on stream to provide another 1,600 MLD to flow towards La Mesa Dam. These projects are targeted to be completed by June 2022. The completion of these aqueducts and tunnel system will optimize the flow of excess water from Angat to La Mesa Dam.”
“At the end of His Excellency’s term on June 30, 2022, we are committed to put in place a real and sustainable adequate water supply and a 50-year master water security plan and sewerage plan,” says Velasco. “This will be the crowning legacy of the Duterte Administration on sustainable water supply.”
Meanwhile, two water conessionaires are open to reviewing their concession agreement with the government following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to review all contracts entered into by the government.
Manila Water Co. said it is ready to talk with the government to find ways to ensure sustainable water security solution.
Maynilad Water Services Inc. , for its part, said it welcomes any review of the company’s obligations under the agreement as practiced by the MWSS.
“Maynilad has always believed in the sanctity of the concession agreement and the merits of this public-private partnership as seen in the vast improvement in the service levels enjoyed by our customers since we took over,” the company said in a statement.
“We welcome any review of our obligations under this agreement as has been undertaken by our regulator since the start of the concession,” it added.
