MWSS says Chinese-funded Kaliwa Dam project better than Japanese proposal

March 19, 2019

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System ( MWSS) said the China-funded Kaliwa Dam project can provide more stored water which will last until summer compared to Japanese firm's proposal. 

In a Senate committee hearing on Tuesday, MWSS was asked by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian regarding the difference between the two dam proposals. 

MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco explained that even though both proposals presented almost same amount of water which will be delivered to concessionaires, the proposal by Osaka-based firm Global Utility Development Cordporation (GUDC) cannot accommodate enough supply for summer. 

"To make sure that even during summer we have enough water. If we put up just a weir and then there is a dry season, we will not be able to save enough water to answer the needs," Velasco explained. 

The Kaliwa Weir Intake Project proposed by GUDC costs up to $410 million, half the cost of National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) approved New Centennial Water Source Project (NCWSP) Kaliwa Dam which will cost $800 million.

GUDC also proposed to finance the project. On the other hand, only 85 percent of the project will be shouldered by NCWSP while the remaining 15 percebnt will be paid by the Philippine government. 

According to MWSS, the Kaliwa Weir Intake is only seven meter high which is smaller than 73 meter high Kaliwa Dam.

The Japanese proposed weir will supply 550 million liters of water per day while the other is expected to supply 600 million liters of water per day. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS