Gwen assures project is ‘environmentally sound’

Thursday, February 9, 2012

CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said the Provincial Government’s bulk water investment with a private firm is environmentally-sound because it is surface water and the contractor would not be digging holes on the ground.

Garcia issued the statement in a news conference yesterday, taking a potshot at the environmentalists who criticized her on the power plant project in the City of Naga.

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Jeric Sevilla Jr., corporate communications head of Manila Water Consortium, said surface water is renewable and watersheds sustain the water source.

Sevilla said that the water, which will be sourced from Luyang River in Carmen town, is safe and sustainable based on their historical data on the inflows of water.

Garcia also said Manila Water has a water treatment facility.

The project will involve the production of 35 million liters per day of potable bulk water from Luyang River.

Garcia earlier said that the Cebu Bulk Water Supply System project is one of the biggest ventures of the Province with Manila Water Consortium.

She said the project will provide “cheap water” to Cebu and would make Cebu more attractive to investors.

Agreement

Next month, the Province is set to sign a joint investment agreement with the consortium composed of the Ayala led-Manila Water, Vicsal Development Corp. of the Metro Gaisano Group and Stateland Inc.

Capitol spokesperson Rory Jon Sepulveda, in a separate interview, said the take-off point of the project will be in Liloan town, but the offer is open to all towns who need water.

Water may be sold to Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD), Lapu-Lapu City, Consolacion town, or to any interested towns.

Garcia said when Manila Water’s bulk water supply project proposal to MCWD was not materialized in 2002, the Ayala-led consortium realized that they “don’t have to put all their eggs in one basket.”

She said the consortium had looked at the needs of local government units, and submitted an unsolicited proposal to the Province.