Prime Infrastructure Holdings Inc. (Prime Infra) hit a milestone for its projects meant to ensure water supply in Metro Manila after it has secured the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process from the Dumagat and Remontado indigenous peoples of Antipolo and Montalban for the Wawa bulk water supply project phase 2 and the upper Wawa dam.
Prime Infra said the approval of the fourth and final memorandum of agreement in the FPIC process will pave the way for the implementation of projects that will address the looming water shortage in Metro Manila and mitigate flooding in the lower areas of Rizal Province, Marikina city and Pasig City while also providing job opportunities in host communities in Rizal province.
Melvin John Tan, WawaJVCo president, said the Upper Wawa dam project aims to provide at least 518 million liters per day to over 500,000 households within Metro Manila and Rizal.
Meanwhile, Manila Water Co. Inc. said it continues to work with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) in developing new water sources even as the agencies have approved the implementation of the much-needed interim additional sources especially as the summer peaks.
Jocot De Dios, Manila Water president and chief executive officer, said these projects include the maximization of the 100 million-liter-per-day (MLD) capacity of the Cardona water treatment plant which draws water from Laguna Lake; operation of deep wells that can provide additional 115 MLD; and the operation of the 20-MLD Marikina portable water treatment plant, which can treat water from the Marikina River.
De Dios added the MWSS and the NWRB allowed the company to harness groundwater through deep wells as part of their contingency and augmentation measures while waiting for long-term water sources.
Manila Water was also allowed to implement operational adjustments such as backwash recovery or re-treating the wastewater byproduct of the water treatment process while ensuring the efficiency of its network distribution, maximizing its distribution reservoirs and operating line boosters so that water supply continues to reach elevated and far-flung areas of the concession.
Harnessing additional inflows to the La Mesa Reservoir from the nearby Alat Dam is also being eyed by the water concessionaire.
