No water shortage this summer – Palace

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila is expected to have enough water supply during summer and the rest of the year, as the government is working to finish long-term water security projects, Malacañang said yesterday.

“According to Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) chairman and OIC administrator Reynaldo Velasco, we expect to have a sufficient supply of water this year in Metro Manila. We won’t have water shortage here in Manila,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said at a press briefing.

He said water supply infrastructure projects were discussed during last Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting and MWSS is fast-tracking several projects to secure NCR’s water supply.

These include the New Centennial Water Source–Kaliwa Dam Project, Long Term Water Source Development for Metro Manila Project (Upper Kaliwa and Kanan River), East Bay water Supply Project–Phase 1, East Bay Water Supply Project–Phase 2, Wawa-Calawis Water Supply Project–Phase 1, and Wawa-Calawis Water Supply Project–Phase 2 that could supply a total of 1,368 million liters daily.

“The tunnel boring machine for the Kaliwa Dam project is expected to arrive in May and the government is optimistic that the project will be completed by 2025,” he said, adding that government is in the “final stages” of drafting concession deals to be presented to Maynilad and Manila Water.

In 2019, Duterte threatened to file charges against both water concessionaires and instructed the justice department and the Office of the Solicitor General to draft new deals that would be “more advantageous” to consumers. He later apologized for his “hurtful words” and thanked businesses for helping the government respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.