WITH the ongoing issues of Davao City's water supply, a City Councilor sees no reason for the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP) to further be delayed or not be pushed through as scheduled.
"Wala na gyud reason na mag-extend pa mo, ug dili pa madayon, ug ma-postpone na sad. Make sure na this year, by December, naa na gyud nang tubig (There is no reason for you to extend, not continue, or postpone the implementation of the project. Make sure that this year, by December, there will be water)," Councilor Louie John Bonguyan said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio Thursday, September 15.
The councilor said the second district, his district, has been experiencing poor water service in the past years. But lately, even other districts in the city are also starting to experience low to zero water pressure.
He added that the growing number of business establishments in the city adds up the large demand for a stable water supply.
Bonguyan, committee chairperson of energy and water, said that based on their communication with APO Agua Infrastructura Inc. (Apo Agua), who recently took over the construction of DCBWSP, the firm is targeting to accomplish the project by the end of 2022.
"Dapat naa na gyud this year kay para masulbad na ang kakulangan sa tubig diri sa Davao City (By the end of this year, the project should operate so that it would address the needs of water supply in Davao City)," he said.
The P12-billion DCBWSP will tap the Tamugan River as a major water source for the system and is estimated to supply 300 to 345 million liters of water per day. It is a joint project of the Davao City Water District (DCWD) and Apo Agua.
Apo Agua, in a press statement, said they are ramping up construction works for the DCBWSP, and are targeting to complete the project before the end of 2022 despite a tight timetable.
This is after "they are taking the lead role" in the construction of DCBWSP.
The company said they are fast-tracking the construction due to setbacks and "complications" brought about by the restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and other contributing “internal factors.”
Prior to taking over the project, Apo Agua said J.V. Angeles Construction Corporation was the lead contractor in the project's engineering, procurement, and construction.
Previously, Apo Agua targeted to start operations of the bulk water project before the end of 2021. However, the project has yet to be completed.
Consumers of DCWD, since Friday, September 16, had experienced poor water service.
DCWD issued an emergency water service interruption in the whole Dumoy Water Supply System (WSS) Line 2 due to electrical wiring being damaged and a main electrical wire needing to be replaced.
Jovana Cresta Duhaylungsod, DCWD Spokesperson, said in an interview with SunStar Davao, that procurement of parts for the two non-operational booster pumps for the Dumoy Water Supply System (WSS) Line 2 could take three months.
Davao City Second District Representative Vincent Garcia, in a previous SunStar Davao interview, called on the project proponents of the DCBWSP to finish it as soon as possible after receiving complaints from second district residents experiencing poor water supply.
The longtime lawmaker said he had been personally receiving complaints through text messages and his personal account.
While he said that he understood that the project had encountered some unforeseen circumstances, Garcia said that it is no longer justifiable if the implementation of the Bulk Water project would be further delayed. (RGL)