P12-B Davao City bulk water project up for DAR approval

DAVAO CITY--The PHP12-billion Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project is up for approval of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

The permit from DAR is the last government requirement for the project to proceed with the physical construction of the facility, which is a joint venture between the Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. and the Davao City Water District (DCWD).

Apo Agua general manager Cirilo Almario said the approval of DAR is needed because the facility will sit on a 6.8-hectare agricultural land in Barangay Gumalang.

"It needs a conversion of the land from agricultural to industrial as the area will be used for the production of safe drinking water," Almario said.

Initially set for completion this year, the project's operational phase was moved to 2021 due to tedious government permitting procedures.

The project has two components. Part A covers water diversion and treatment costing PHP10 billion that will be handled by Apo Agua. This includes the construction of raw water facilities, hydroelectric power plant, water treatment plant, treated water pipelines, and facilities for various take-off points in the city.

Almario said Apo Agua will supply the DCWD a minimum contracted volume of 300 million liters per day of treated bulk water from the Tamugan River for a period of 30 years.

DCWD deputy spokesperson Jovana Duhaylungsod said the second project component costing PHP2 billion will be water distribution. To be handled by DCWD, it includes the construction of primary transmission/distribution pipe mains and storage facilities in various parts of the city.

DCWD will also handle the distribution of treated water to residential, government, commercial and industrial consumers while the bulk water end-users will remain solely with the company.
Duhaylungsod said the water district has been using ground water for nearly 45 years.
The bulk water project is an alternative source of water supply.

"This will also limit the extraction of ground water and allow the acquifers to rest," she said, noting that right now, the DCWD has 60 production wells for ground water extraction and when the bulk water is in full operation, about half of the production wells will be rested.

The water demand in the city is rapidly increasing due to population growth and urbanization, Duhaylungsod said, adding that the project will supply treated water to the water systems in Dumoy, Calinan, Tugbok, Panacan and Cabantian and the three additional water systems in Talandang, Mandug and Indangan. (PNA)