Wednesday, August 27, 2008 Water district junks Hedcor's proposal By Carlo P. Mallo
THE Davao City Water District (DCWD) slammed the "win-win" solution proposed by Hedcor Tamugan Inc. in the counter proposal that was submitted by the water utility last week.
DCWD called the proposed solution "disadvantageous" to the water utility and communities that will be given access to clean and safe water through the district's surface water project.
The proposal of Hedcor primarily stated that the water utility should relocate its proposed facility to a downstream portion of the Tamugan river while the proposed hydro power plant of Hedcor remains in its original planned location.
"They are saying that we will be having savings of P430 million based on construction materials," said Imelda Magsuci, Finance Manager of DCWD.
"But we will incur additional costs amounting to more than P215.51 million in additional pipes alone, not including the booster pumps that we have to procure," she said, adding that construction and maintenance have also not been factored in.
If we move to the proposed site of Hedcor, it defeats our purpose as we will not be able to serve the Barangays of Gumatang and Lacson in Tamugan area, said Magsuci.
There is no contention that the route will be shortened by 5.6 kilometers but the maintenance and construction in the proposed site will be very difficult, the DCWD contends.
"We are not against their development plans but we will not allow our plans to be compromised," Magsuci said.
In the long run, according to the DCWD, they will lose millions with the proposed "win-win" solution of Hedcor.
The water utility asserted that they will have to use power in order for them to serve the various barangays in the Tamugan area that are located on a higher elevation compared to the Hedcor proposed site.
"Hedcor's proposal for a DCWD-Hedcor joint scheme will only result to some communities not benefiting in terms of access to municipal water from DCWD's proposed use and development of the surface water at Tamugan River-through gravity," the executive summary of the DCWD's counter proposal said.
The DCWD also maintained that it will stick to its preliminary plan in the use and development of the surface water at Tamugan River.
"The confluence of the Panigan and Tamugan Rivers is still the ideal location for DCWD's proposed water supply facilities viewed from the aspects of location, river slope, terrain, water quality and quantity, watershed management, and economy that will redound to greater benefits to the general public or the people of Davao City by way of providing cheaper municipal water through less capital investment in water supply infrastructures," the executive summary said.
