Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc.’s subsidiary WawaJVCo Inc. said Thursday it started the commercial operations of Bulk Water Supply Project Phase 1 in Rizal province that would deliver an initial 80 million liters per day of raw water to offtaker Manila Water Co. and Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.
WawaJVCo is a joint venture of Prime Infra and San Lorenzo Ruiz Builders and Developers Group Inc. The Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project is one of the government’s flagship infrastructure projects and is designed to deliver at least 518 MLD which can provide water supply to over 500,000 households in the East Zone concession area once the two phases are completed.
“Prime Infra fulfilled its promise to the government to deliver on time a vital water infrastructure, which will help ensure the reliability of raw water supply to customers of Manila Water at a cost-effective manner,” said Prime Infra chairman Enrique Razon Jr.
“This milestone demonstrates Prime Infra’s strong track record in delivering critical infrastructure projects in challenging situations,” Razon said.
He said Phase 1 of the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project was constructed and finished in the middle of a pandemic ahead of schedule. WawaJVCo said it started commercial operations of the project on Oct. 25.
Phase 1 consists of three parts: the weir where water is impounded, the pumping station that brings the bulk water to the water treatment plant and the buried water pipeline where the bulk water passes to get to the water treatment plant.
Prime Infra president and chief executive Guillaume Lucci said WawaJVCo adhered to social and environmental sustainability which allowed the project to establish close relations with local stakeholders, making it possible to fast-track the project’s completion and subsequent commencement of commercial operations.
“The development of the bulk water project would not have been achieved without the full support of our stakeholders. We will continue to build on this momentum as we progress in the construction of Phase 2 with the vision of creating shared value for both the offtaker and the host communities,” he said.
Construction of the project’s Phase 2, or the Upper Wawa Dam, is on track, with the river diversion milestone achieved this week.
The river diversion will minimize the risk of construction execution as it allows WawaJVCo to start construction of the main dam body by December 2022, enable work through the wet season, and complete the project on schedule.
WawaJVCo will be able to supply at least 518 MLD per day of raw water once Phase 2 is completed by 2025.
Razon and Prime Infra president and chief executive Guillaume Lucci led the ceremonial celebration at the Tayabasan Weir. Also present were Prime Infra directors Rafael Consing, Jr., Christian Gonzalez and Stephen Paradies.
The Prime Infra executives also unveiled the Phase 1 marker, which states that “the project is a demonstration of WawaJVCo Inc.’s purpose to create better lives and resilient economies through critical infrastructure.”
Prime Infra is Razon’s infrastructure arm that focuses on building assets that support the most urgent sustainability priorities—energy, access to clean water, waste management and viable critical infrastructure.