A DAVAO City Councilor has announced that areas served by the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWDP) will no longer experience low to no water pressure. Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. has improved its filtering system for turbidity, ensuring a more reliable water supply.
During the "Aprubado sa Konseho" media forum on Tuesday morning, July 23, 2024, at the Sanguniang Panlungsod, Councilor Louie John J. Bonguyan shared that Apo Agua informed him of this update on Friday. He explained that before this improvement, areas served by the DCBWDP faced water supply issues during heavy downpours.
“Nag update sila sa ilang machine or system na they can cater a high turbidity so dili na kay ingon lunop undang na ilang operation maskin naa pa silay reservoir didto but still dili na ma stop ang operation (They have updated their machine or system so that they can handle high turbidity. Therefore, their operations will not stop even during heavy flooding, despite having a reservoir there),” he said
Bonguyan, who chairs the committee on energy and water, noted that the city has experienced heavy rainfall over the past few weeks, yet Apo Agua’s operations have continued without interruption. He added that the improved system can effectively manage high turbidity.
The councilor expressed optimism that Dabawenyos will no longer need to store water in preparation for heavy rainfall, although he mentioned that there are limits to the turbidity levels Apo Agua can accommodate.
Whenever the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) issues advisories about heavy rainfall, the Davao City Water District (DCWD) informs Dabawenyos to store water. This precaution is due to high turbidity in the river, which causes the water to appear thick or opaque, indicating sediment or lack of clarity.
The DCBWDP was launched by the local government of Davao to address the city's water supply issues. Apo Agua announced on January 9, 2024, that the bulk water supply has been operational since December 1, 2023. Initially, the project was scheduled for completion in 2021 but faced delays due to several reasons, including the Covid-19 pandemic and changes in the project implementer. RGP
