MWC, partner undertake water project in Davao

DAVAO del Norte Water Infrastructure Co. Inc., the consortium of Ayala-led Manila Water and iWater Inc., formalized its joint venture agreement with Tagum City Water District for a 15-year water project that will supply an additional 38 million liters of water per day (MLD) to Tagum City.

The public-private partnership will undertake the construction of a P527-million bulk water supply system for Tagum that includes an intake structure through river bank filtration, a 38-MLD water treatment plant, transmission pipeline and a 5,000-cubic meter water reservoir starting 2016. The project is expected to deliver 26 MLD within the first to third year after commissioning in 2018, 32 MLD from the fourth to the sixth year, and 38 MLD on the succeeding years until reaching the 15th year of delivery.

Currently, the city gets its supply from groundwater through production wells. The Tagum Water District maintains and operates nine pumping stations as supply systems.

During the ceremonial signing, Manila Water Philippine Ventures chief executive officer and Davao Norte Water president Virgilio C. Rivera Jr. said the bulk water supply project will be using the river bank filtration system for the first time in the Philippines.

Rivera said the collaboration promotes an environmentally sound approach to sustainable water supply as water demand in Tagum City continued to increase.

“As a commercial and industrial hub of the region, development of the much-needed water infrastructure will certainly accelerate the city’s economic growth.”