Calapan City—The Calapan Waterworks Corp. (CW) has added another milestone in the implementation of its P400-million Development Initiative with the inauguration of its brand-new modern water reservoir in this city.
The new reservoir has a storage capacity of 1,500 cubic meters of groundwater, “which is equivalent to 1.5-million liters for distribution to its rising number of consumers of 15,000 households, not to mention industrial consumers,” Eric Montelibano, CW vice-president for corporate affairs, said.
Jolly L. Ting, CW board chairman, explained that this new addition to the series of the water company’s infrastructure build-ups is part of the company’s 10-year development plan costing P400 million.
“There’s still much to be desired to meet the rising demands for fresh water from a growing population in this city, including investors who expressed interests to do business in this booming city,” Ting said, stressing that “it needs more water sources to cope with the demands.”
In its timeline, the Calapan Water expects that between 2018 and 2028, consumers are expected to double from the present 15,000 households to 28,000 households located in 36 out of the city’s 62 barangays.
“We won’t stop finding more sources of water and building more infrastructures, including reservoirs, as the present 36 barangays now with water connections will also increase to cover the whole 62 barangays of Calapan City,” explained Roderick Carranceja, CW president.
The new infrastructure is funded from the company’s P400-million investment plan under its 10-year Development Initiative, which saw tapping of new water sources, reservoirs and pipelining for distribution of safe water from sources to its consumers, households and business establishments.
Calapan City Mayor Arnan C. Panaligan and the Sangguniang Panglunsod, chaired by Vice-Mayor Gil Ramirez, welcomed the new development as the city officials expressed their full support to efforts of Calapan Water to develop and improve its water quality and distribution system for the benefit of the city’s rising population and business stakeholders.
With the opening of the reservoir, it will greatly enhance the steady supply of safe drinking water to households, the city official said.
“Calapan is one of the fastest booming cities in the Mimaropa Region,” Panaligan said, adding that as “a booming city, it needs more infrastructures in support of our development.”
“Critical collaboration” exists between the city government and CW management as the former strictly requires the latter to comply with health, sanitation, and environmental regulations before the water firm could operate.
“Our relationship with Calapan Water is not adversarial but we fully support its developmental plan as it is compliant with all the regulations required of them,” Panaligan stressed.
Oriental Mindoro Congressmen Salvador Leachon and Reynaldo Umali cited the importance of investors like Calapan Water because “it’s an effective partner of the LGU for development and job generation,” and water is the “ultimate necessity of the city of Calapan.”
The lawmakers stressed that the province is “always investment-ready” as they assured the CW management the “continuity of our support.”
