THE APO Agua Infrastructura, Inc., an Aboitiz-led company, and Davao City Water District (DCWD) launched the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP) to further address Davaoeños’ growing water needs.
The inauguration was held at the Apo Agua Water Treatment Facility in Baguio District on Feb. 7, led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and also graced by other officials and stakeholders from Aboitiz InfraCapital, DCWD, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Aboitiz CEO Sabin Aboitiz said the inauguration was a major achievement “despite all the delays and challenges faced by the project.”
In his speech, DCWD chairman Eduardo Bangayan said the project was a shared vision with former President Rodrigo Duterte, who witnessed the signing of the joint venture agreement between DCWD and Apo Agua in 2015.
“We are grateful that the next Davao City Mayors Sara Duterte (former) and Sebastian Duterte continue to share the same vision and have supported us in our commitment to supply the project,” he said.
The DCBWSP is the largest of its kind in the country, with 250 hectares of land delivering a water production capacity of 300 million liters per day, a pipeline network of 70 kilometers long to enable water flow to eight off-take points (OTPs) through gravity, and serve potable water to six DCWD water supply systems in Calinan, Tugbok, Riverside, Dumoy (Panorama), Cabantian, and Panacan.
May Che Capili, Apo Agua external relations officer, said the project is an unsolicited public-private partnership (PPP) using the NEDA guidelines.
“In a good PPP, there is no private benefit without greater public benefit,” Capili said.
The water facility utilized the Tamugan River as its water source, by using the water-energy nexus system, enabling the facility to power itself through its Hydroelectric power plant and contribute surplus energy to the grid.
The DCBWSP has been operational since Dec. 1, 2023, and has continuously supplied the second district of Davao City, where intermittent water supply is experienced in the area.
Jovanna Cresta Duhaylungsod, DCWD spokesperson, said the water supply availability and pressure improved as they are already distributing bulk water before the ceremony.
“DCWD and Apo Agua will continue its coordination, especially in the part of technical and operation so that mas maps-improve pagyud nato kung unsa ang foreseen benefits sa atoang bulk water supply distribution,” she said.
She said they received positive feedback from their water system operations last December and had been receiving applications from consumers.
