Issues stall revival of the proposal to construct dams

CEBU, Philippines - The revival of the proposed construction of the Mananga and Kotkot dams, which are needed to avert water shortage for Metro Cebu, remains in limbo due to budgetary, social and environmental issues. 

Lemuel Canastra, Environment and Water Resources Department and knowledge center officer-in-charge, said there are “risks and disadvantages” of the proposed dams, including resettlement of affected residents, issues on sedimentation or siltation of the dams, and uncertainties about site geology and suitability for dam construction.

The construction of Lusaran and Kotkot dams in Cebu City, which would be connected by a transport tunnel, would cost $136.8 million with additional $3.4 million operating cost per year based on the 2008 assessment report funded by the Asian Development Bank. 

The plan is to build an 18-meter high dam in Lusaran, while a 22-meter dam in Kotkot area with 70 hectares of impounding area. 

Canastra said both ponds will be connected by a three-kilometer tunnel in which water from Lusaran pond will be transferred to Kotkot dam, producing 100,000 cubic meters of water per day. The water supply can serve 146,000 households or 658,000 persons based on 125 liters a day. 

The project needs 300 hectares of inundated area. However, it would displace at least 810 households or 3,650 individuals based on the August 2008 barangay survey (4.5 persons per household) conducted by the Metro Cebu Water District. 

Canastra said the resettlement issue has not been resolved until today. 

He said alternative sites have been studied but are not likely feasible because of “geological problem,” which entails massive and costly dam construction. 

“Site geology generally has a significant influence on dam construction costs. Further site investigation would be required dam cost estimates,” he said. 

Aside from this, towns downstream like Balamban would be affected by not getting water supply from Lusaran dam. Also it would have a potential “negative” effect on environment, particularly on the recharge of coastal aquifer and irrigated areas of Balamban. 

On the sedimentation issue, Canastra said MCWD’s operating Buhisan Dam suffers from significant siltation and is in need of rehabilitation, citing other reports on quite high rates of siltation. 

“There still a need to conduct full scale feasibility study,” he said. 

The proposed Lusaran dam project had already a detailed feasibility study conducted by the Engineering Corporation, Engineering & Development Corporation (EDCOP) and Kampsax-Kruger Lahmeyer Int’l in 1977-1980. 

The study was revaluated during the Project Preparatory and Technical Assistance (Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project) in 2011. 

MCDCB chairperson Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, for his part, said the issue in constructing the dams is budget. 

“Ang issue gyud kay kun asa ta og pundo,” he said, adding that they might secure funding from the national government, World Bank or through public–private partnership. 

Efren Carreon, the director of the National Economic and Development Authority 7, asked MCWD if construction of dams is among its top priorities. 

Engineer Noel Dalena, MCWD general manager, said they are interested to pursue the project, but it’s not their current top priority because of the cost. 

“We don’t have the estimated P2.4 billion for the project. Where can we find it?“ he said. 

If pursued, he said they would need help from the government or private sectors.  He said the government can give MCWD a guarantee for them to avail of a loan. 

“We are interested with this because this can give us greater volume with an expected output of 70 million liters a day, higher than Jaclupan’s 35 million liters a day,” he said. 

He said if they will pursue with the project, the price might go as high as P64, saying “we have to balance affordability and availability of water.” 

In a motion approved by the board yesterday, Roberto Aboitiz, co-chair of the MCDCB and president of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., asked MCWD to hold a workshop with stakeholders and experts on determining serious options to address water problems. 

“We lack decisive action as to where we want to go. We must decide which way we are going. We cannot just leave with feasibility study,” he said. 

“I think we have to face the fact that we have serious issue with regard to potable water and any solution that we opt has attached series of difficulties and consequences. If we go with the dams, there’s a cost, people and civil issue. If we go with desalination, there’s also cost issue. Whatever action we take will affect cost,” he added.  (FREEMAN)