WATER problems in Davao City –District Two, particularly in Barangay Cabantian and Panacan, will soon be solved once the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project will be realized.
Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. general manager Cirilo Almario III told reporters in Davao Business Forum at Dermpath–SM City Davao on Tuesday, May 15, that the project will supply 300 million liters per day (mld) of treated bulk water to five existing water systems in the villages of Dumoy, Calinan, Tugbok, Panacan, and Cabantian and three additional water systems in Talandang, Mandug, and Indangan.
The P12 billion project, identified as priority project in Davao City, is a joint venture between Davao City Water District (DCWD) and Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. tapping Tamugan River as source and provide additional water supply to the city in the next 30 years utilizing 100 percent renewable energy-run facility.
DCWD deputy spokesperson Jovana Cresta Duhaylungsod said for years, water supply and quality has been a major problem in these areas even until now.
"These areas do not have water supply 24/7, residents are also complaining about its quality, sometimes water has an unpleasant colors. With the project, water will be available for 24 hours and its quality will be comparable to Dumoy Water," she said.
Project updates
After the project was launched in 2015, the ball is now with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
"We already submitted the necessary permits to DAR last April 20 to secure the conversion permit," Almario said.
She added that a team from DAR will visit on Thursday, May 17, to conduct on-site inspection to ensure the company did not performed premature conversion in the area. Afterwards, a report and recommendation will be submitted to DAR deliberation committee.
Securing a permit from DAR, he said, will take six to 12 months.
At present, the project proponent is now conducting detailed design and engineering which will take a year.
It can be recalled that the project had undergone several roadblocks with the City Council and Department of Agriculture in converting the land from agricultural to industrial.
"We already over that stage, we already got the Davao City Council and DA nod," he said.
The developer also addressed the concerns of the community affected by the project by committing P5 million per year of assistance to five Barangays and P1 million for the Indigenous People community.
The project has two components, Part A will be the water diversion and treatment led by Apo Agua (P10 billion) and Part B for water distribution led by DCWD (P2 billion).
For the first component, there will construction of raw water facilities, 2.4 megawatt hydroelectric power plant, water treatment plant, treated water pipelines, and facilities for various off-take points in the city. While the second component will be for the construction of primary transmission/distribution pipe mains and storage facilities in various portions in Davao City and distribution of treated water to residential, government, commercial, industrial and bulk water end-users.
Once all necessary permits were secured, construction will start and it is seen to last for three years.
"We are targeting to start full operations of the project's Part A by 2021," he said.
