First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) is developing a river water treatment facility as the flagship project of its P4 billion integrated water management master plan. The initiative aims to secure a sustainable water supply for its locators and reduce dependence on groundwater.
The facility, now under construction within FPIP’s 600-hectare ecozone in Santo Tomas and Tanauan, Batangas, will draw water from the San Juan River, a tributary of Laguna de Bay, instead of using underground aquifers.
Upon its completion in November 2025, the facility will have the capacity to treat up to 20 million liters per day, which is more than enough to serve FPIP’s 150 locators and over 80,000 employees.
Jeremaine Esguerra, head of FPIP’s water division and president of FPIP Utilities, Inc. (FUI), said the project highlights the urgent need for alternatives to groundwater extraction, which has led to land subsidence, saltwater intrusion and the depletion of freshwater supplies in many parts of the country.
“Groundwater extraction has long been convenient, but it is no longer sustainable,” Esguerra said at a recent forum in Manila. “The river water treatment facility is our way of addressing this pressing challenge while advancing FPIP’s commitment to regeneration and decarbonization.”
The facility is a key part of the company’s long-term strategy for water sustainability across the ecozone, Esguerra said.
“FPIP’s river water treatment facility is a testament to our resolve to be an environmentally responsible organization,” she added. “It is a key step in our sustainability roadmap and our commitment to regeneration and decarbonization in support of the Lopez Group’s mission.”
Esguerra warned that unchecked groundwater overextraction could lead to land subsidence, saltwater contamination of drinking water and reduced surface water supply for irrigation, which would hurt both industries and farmers.
Other initiatives under FPIP’s master plan include using solar power for FUI’s water operations, converting invasive water hyacinths into biodegradable materials and promoting rainwater reuse to ease pressure on freshwater resources.
The facility is being built by First Balfour, the construction arm of the Lopez Group.
