Wednesday, June 25, 2008 DCWD: Tamugan power plant threatens city's water supply By Joy Romares-Sevilla
THE Davao City Water District (DCWD) on Tuesday insisted that the proposed 20-megawatt hydropower plant of Hedcor Inc. in Tamugan, Davao City will seriously threaten the city's limited water supply.
In Tuesday's edition of Business Forum at the Medispa at SM City Davao, DCWD general manager Rodora Gamboa said Hedcor's proposed project would also trigger higher operational costs for the water utility, which will result to high water rates.
She said DCWD submitted a position paper to the City Council on Tuesday, expressing the water utility's opposition to Hedcor's proposed hydroelectric power plant in Tamugan.
Gamboa explained that Davao City recently derives more than 99 percent of its water from groundwater sources and less than one percent from surface water to provide potable water to over 156,000 homes and establishments all over the city.
"The daily water extraction of the city is 212,000 cubic meters. Total volume of groundwater extracted reached to 78 million cubic meters last year. By 2012, total extractions are expected to reach over 115 million cubic meters or 314,000 cubic meters daily," Gamboa said.
With this, Gamboa said a sound water management plan is necessary to ensure adequate and good water supply. This is the reason, she said, why DCWD decided to develop surface water source.
"There are many reasons that cause groundwater depletion. Land subsidence, drying up of wells, increased cost of pumping and well infrastructure, and salt water intrusion are just among of them, that is why DCWD proposed the Tamugan Surface Water Development (TSWD) project," Gamboa explained.
She said the total amount needed for the realization of the TWSD will be P1.3 billion.
"We already have the pre-feasibility study. We hope that anytime this year, the detailed feasibility study will be completed," she said, adding that the options are already there for the funding of the project.
It was learned that the construction period for the TWSD project is estimated to be accomplished within three years.
The project's expected daily production is 200,000 cubic meters and will benefit an additional 30,000 households from 25 barangays.
"The impact of this project will be increased water pressure and availability for existing consumers," Gamboa said.
She added that the proposed hydropower plant of Hedcor will be located upstream of DCWD's infiltration gallery at the upper reaches of Tamugan and Panigan rivers.
This set up, she said, "will dry up vital portions of these rivers, which will have immediate and long-term adverse effects on DCWD's TSWD project."
Gamboa said Hedcor already submitted an application for its hydropower project to the National Water Resource Board (NWRB), which accepted its application.
"The NWRB has accepted the application, but it is still not approved. Our project was already approved by NWRB and we already have the permit," Gamboa said.
Gamboa said DCWD had talks with the Hedcor and suggested that it can still put up a plant in the area, but should be above the infiltration gallery of DCWD.
However, the Hedcor allegedly did not want the suggestion because if that will be the case, Hedcor could not already produce a 20-megawatt hydropower plant.
"They do not want the idea because they will get lower capacity," Gamboa said.
Gamboa also said that DCWD has submitted a position letter to the City Council on Tuesday morning regarding its opposition on Hedcor's proposed hydroelectric power plant at Tamugan.
