THE Davao City Water District (DCWD) bared that they are now in the restoration stage of their pipeline improvement as they already put on hold their excavation activities in order to give way for the major events that is slated in the city this month and early next year.
DCWD spokesperson lawyer Bernard Delima on Friday, December 23, said during Kapehan sa PIA that starting last December 15, DCWD deferred their excavation works as part of their pipe-laying project in accordance to the directive of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Davao and the local government in the city.
Delima said the order is part of the preparation of the city for the upcoming holidays and hosting of the two major events early next year which are the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (Asean) Summit and auxiliary event of the Miss Universe 2016 wherein crowds are expected to be seen on major roads and foreign visitors will flock in the city.
"The instruction given to us is to do the restoration during the period but there would be no excavation," he said, adding it will make all major roads in the city accessible and would not cause traffic which has been the main dilemma of the road users.
Delima also said the pipe-laying will resume end of January 2017 after all the events in the city are done.
Commuters in the past months have been complaining on the pipe-laying activities of DCWD resulting to traffic congestions on some major roads and have earned ire of the public who were unified in urging the government to fast track their projects as it trigger inconvenience on their part every day.
The project is part of the P10-billion deal of water bulk supply project by Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., an Aboitiz-led consortium.
Apo Agua is a joint venture company between Aboitiz Equity Ventures and J.V. Angeles Construction Corporation.
The two company target to complete the projects before the end of 2017 prior to the completion of the water bulk water facility in Tamugan.
"As of now if we are going to rate it, it is already 40 percent. We prioritize the major thoroughfares for the pipe replacement of existing pipes," he said.
Delima said they are now in the restoration stage of their project and pipes has already buried. They have started with the concreting and the hydro testing to ensure that it is safe and has no leakage. They also assured that the capacity of the pipes is sufficient to sustain the pressure of the water.
"If we go around in SM, diversion up to DPWH depot in Panacan along Sasa, they are now in the restoration stage," he affirmed.
The city is scheduled to host the Mindanao Tapestry Show for the Miss Universe 2017 to be held in SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang on January 19, 2017 which will certainly draw a huge crowd.