A photo of Jaclupan Dam’s sedimentation basin. | File photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) entered into a bulk water supply agreement with a private firm to provide additional water supply to Talisay City residents.
In a statement, the water district said that the 25-year partnership aims to deliver an added daily supply of 15,000 to 50,000 cubic meters, purchased at P58 per cubic meter, exclusively for consumers in Talisay City.
MCWD inked its agreement with the joint venture of Watermatic International Ltd. and Tubig Pilipinas Group Inc. in a gathering that was held at the office of first district Rep. Rhea Gullas located in Minglanilla town on Tuesday, August 8, 2023.
“This increased supply will ensure a more reliable water source for the residents of the city. Watermatic International Ltd. will be responsible for installing approximately 6.2 kilometers of pipelines from the processing plant to two injection points,” MCWD said.
“These injection points are located on N. Bacalso Ave. near Pooc Road and Rafael Rabaya St., near the intersection with Ilang-Ilang St. in Barangay Lagtan,” it added.
The bulk water supplier is set to start water distribution within 24 months from the issuance of the Notice to Proceed.
“The advanced water processing technology employed guarantees that the water sourced from the Mananga River, near MCWD’s weir in Jaclupan, meets the highest quality standards, satisfying the needs of consumers,” MCWD said.
Under the agreement, Watermark is responsible for the processing of excess water or the runoff collected from the Jaclupan weir.
Moreover, the facilities that the company will establish and use will be turned over to the MCWD at the end of the 25-year contract or when the contracted volume of 136,875,000 cubic meters was already delivered or whichever comes earlier, provided that this will not happen earlier than a 15-year period.
“The water supply initiative is primarily intended for the City of Talisay. I hope that the inclusion of the facility turnover provision, along with technology transfer, sets a precedent for future endeavors. Rather than being a one-time occurrence, these types of provisions should establish a model for other capital-intensive projects, such as Bulk Water Supply Agreements,” MCWD General Manager Edgar Donoso said.
Talisay City hosts MCWD’s Jaclupan facility, which is its largest in-house surface water source. This infrastructure, built in 1998, has since then produced about 33,000 cubic meters of water per day, supplying not only Talisay City but also Cebu City.
“I am very happy with what we experienced today… Under the leadership of Chairman Daluz and GM Edgar, we are assured of a maximum of 50mld and an average of 15mld only for the City of Talisay. From a city that will always be no-nonsense, from a city that will always work for the benefit of its people, from a very thankful city, thank you, MCWD,” Mayor Samsam Gullas said.
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