MWSS approves Wawa project
Credit to Author: Jordeene B. Lagare| Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:14:07 +0000
THE Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) has given the green light to the Wawa Dam project intended to provide additional water supply to residents in Metro Manila and adjacent areas.
WawaJVCo Inc. — a joint venture company between Razon-led Prime Metroline Infrastructure Holdings Corp. (Prime Infra) and Violago-led San Lorenzo Ruiz Builders and Developers Corp. — is the proponent of Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project.
In a statement on Monday, Prime Infra said MWSS Administrator Emmanuel Salamat made the approval during the MWSS Board of Trustees’ meeting held last Thursday.
The project was first approved by the MWSS in May. But the final nod came after receiving the favorable opinion given by the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel last November 7 on the remaining conditions precedent.
This approval is the remaining document to make the project fully effective and enable the project proponent to proceed in the development work.
“As promised to the public, the Board has already given its final approval for the Wawa Bulk Water Project. This is good news for everyone, not only for the proponents and stakeholders, but more importantly for the MWSS consumers. This will ensure water security for the greater Metro Manila area in the coming years,” according to Prime Infra, quoting MWSS Chairman Reynaldo Velasco.
“I would like to assure the public that MWSS is doing everything in its power to address the current water crisis. We are committed to make sure that we have enough supply to meet the demands of the growing population in Metro Manila. I am sure the other government agencies who are mandated to issue permits will follow suit as this is a priority project to solve the water crisis,” Velasco added.
WawaJVCo, Inc. is planning to build a water supply facility at the Wawa catchment area traversing the Rodriguez municipality and Antipolo City in Rizal. The company had hoped to break ground on the water source project in 2019.
The first phase of the project will entail the supply of 80 million liters per day (MLD) of raw water by December 31, 2021 while the second phase will provide an additional supply of 438 MLD of raw water by December 31, 2025.
The proponent plans to construct and establish facilities to capture and divert water for municipal use from the Wawa River in Rodriguez to provide either raw or treated water to distributors and consumers in Metro Manila and surrounding communities.
The Wawa project is expected to serve more than 500,000 households within Manila Water Co. Inc.’s franchise area.
Manila Water in August signed an offtake agreement with the MWSS and WawaJVCo to tap raw water supply from the Wawa and Tayabasan rivers, meaning water from the said dam would be sold to Manila Water for the consumption of the latter’s customers.