A COMPANY OPPOSED to San Miguel Corp.'s P50-billion Laiban dam project revealed Wednesday that it has submitted to both Manila Water Co. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. a proposal to supply them with 700 million liters per day (MLD) of bulk water over a 25-year period.

The new offer from the little-known Sierra Madre Water Corp. adds a new twist to the ongoing issue which has pitted San Miguel against vocal anti-Laiban dam critics, principally Maynilad, which is controlled by Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

The proposal calls for Sierra Madre to seal supply deals directly with both firms serving the water needs of Metro Manila’s east and west zones, bypassing the regulator, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

MWSS officials had previously looked askance at Sierra Madre’s proposal, raising questions about the project’s cost and the technical capability of the proponent.

In a press briefing Wednesday, Sierra Madre president Roy Zosa said his firm can begin delivery of the first 350 MLD of water within two years of the contract being awarded to them.

A further 350 MLD could be delivered in another 12 months, he said, describing the project as “scalable.”

According to Zosa, Sierra Madre’s proposed scheme will cost $255 million, or about P12.1 billion at current exchange rates. This would be partly funded by multilateral lending institutions and export-import banks of foreign nations, although he said that private partners would also be brought in, eventually.

Asked whether Sierra Madre would accept a partnership with either the Manuel Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific or the Ramon Ang-led San Miguel, Zosa said that his firm “does not preclude, at this point, any partner becoming involved in the project.”

He revealed that several prospective partners have already come forward to seeking tie-ups with his firm for the project, although he declined to provide further details, saying talks were still preliminary.

All told, Sierra Madre officials said that its proposal would eventually deliver as much as 2,300 MLD of bulk water for Metro Manila and its environs.

Since the water source is situated on the west side of Laguna de Bay—across urban areas that need the water most—Zosa said that submarine pipes would be laid at the bottom of the inland lake to transport the water to the southern sections of the metropolis.

“The offer is being made directly to the water distributors which have a 25-year concession agreement with the MWSS, to distribute water and provide sewage services to the MWSS franchise area,” the Sierra Madre said in a statement.