MWSS to pursue Wawa project

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) assured Prime Infra’s Enrique Razon that the water agency would give its final approval for the Wawa bulk water supply project.

Razon-led International Container Terminal Services Inc. said on Friday that MWSS chair Reynaldo Velasco gave the assurance, noting that the MWSS board would tackle and approve the Wawa Dam project to help address the water supply deficit in the Eastern Zone under Manila Water.

Velasco said the dam was an important part of the agency’s flagship projects to ensure water security.

“We are in a catch-up mode as far as water supply source is concerned. Wawa Dam, which used to be the water source for Metro Manila before Angat Dam was completed in 1967 and became operational, has been identified by water experts as the best potential water supply source for Metro Manila,” Velasco said.

Project proponent WawaJVCO (a joint venture of Razon’s Prime Infra and Oscar Violago’s San Lorenzo Ruiz Builders Group), MWSS and Manila Water Co. Inc., already signed an offtake agreement on Aug. 6.

Since the signing of the agreement, public consultations have been conducted by the MWSS Regulatory Office. These public consultations gave the public the opportunity to learn about the project details as well as the tariff impact.

However, the changing of the guard in the MWSS administration has also contributed to the delay in the development work on the Wawa Dam project.

Prior to his promotion as chair, Velasco was the MWSS administrator when the issues and concerns relative to the Wawa bulk water supply project were presented, addressed and approved.

To jump-start the Wawa project, final approvals remain on the supplemental agreement, which was submitted on Sept. 13 for MWSS’ approval.

It is a necessary document for the agreement on the outstanding issues on penalties, access road responsibility and metering protocol. It is the remaining document to make the project fully effective and enable the project proponent to proceed in the development work.

The Wawa Dam project will supply additional 80 million liters a day (MLD) in 2021 and more than 500 MLD by 2025.

“We are ready to move forward and have been working with all stakeholders to progress this project since 2018. Wawa is the fastest and least expensive water source development and comes at no cost to the government,” Razon said.