By Madelaine B. Miraflor
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has allowed two private concessionaires, one being the Pangilinan-led Maynilad Water Services, Inc., to tap irrigation water for household use.
NIA had recently forged two separate Memorandum of Agreements (MOA) with Maynilad and its affiliate Metropac Cagayan De Oro, Inc. (MCDO) for the utilization of excess water from two irrigation systems being managed by NIA, according to a statement.
The MOA-signing between NIA and Maynilad particularly aims to utilize the excess water from five identified dams in the province of Cavite. These are Bukal Dam, Embarcadero Dam, Tres Cruzes Dam, Bayan Dam, and Plucena Dam with an aggregate volume of 94,060 cubic meters per day.
The MOA is an offshoot of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) entered by the parties to conduct a feasibility study on all dams within the province to determine any excess water of each dam after the irrigation needs of the farmers are satisfied.
Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base.
It is the agent and contractor of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (certain portions), Quezon City (certain portions), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and, Malabon, all in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario, all in Cavite Province.
As for NIA's deal with MCDO, it aims to pursue the conveyance of 30 million liters per day (MLD) of excess water from the Bubunawan River Irrigation System, located in Baungon, Bukidnon, to the designated point of the company for a period of five years.
NIA said a feasibility study was done in order to prove that this project is possible. The study included the impact of the plans on the irrigable of the area.