Group eyes water impounding project in Bulacan

A Filipino company is readying for submission this month an unsolicited proposal to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to build a water impounding project in Bulacan that may provide up to 800 million liters daily (MLD) for Metro Manila and adjacent provinces.

Orville M. Roque, president of the project’s proponent,  ITP-Maharlika Bulk Water Co. Joint Venture, yesterday told reporters that their proposed Angat-Norzagaray Optimization Project would cost P9 billion to P10 billion.

“We plan to do this through a 25-year, build-operate-transfer contract,” Roque said. “We can finish the first phase in two years from the time of approval.”

He said the company’s target was to complete the construction of the first phase by June 2022.

“We have been coordinating with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), which has the right to use the water coming from Bustos Dam which, in turn, is fed by the Angat Dam that is also in Bulacan.”

Water flow from Bustos averages 1,800 MLD, but NIA is using only 600 MLD, Roque said.

He said the proposed project was meant to store a big part of the unused 1,200 MLD from Bustos.

“We can have the first phase ready with 250 MLD and the intention is to have both Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. as off-takers,” Roque said.

He said ITP-Maharlika had been working on the proposal for more than a year and had been coordinating with MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco on this.

He said Velasco had stressed the need for a project like this considering that the Kaliwa Dam project was not progressing.

“We hope that our proposal be taken up and that it would pass through the entire approval process by June next year,” he added.

By law, an unsolicited proposal needs to undergo a Swiss challenge or presented with a rival proposal. It also needs the approval of the National Economic and Development Authority.