MWSS says P1.93-B aqueduct may be completed next year

By Sheldeen Joy Talavera, Reporter

A P1.93-BILLION aqueduct that will provide additional raw water transmission capacity and ensure continuous flow of raw water to Metro Manila and nearby provinces is targeted for completion next year.

In an interview with BusinessWorld, Patrick James B. Dizon, department manager at the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Corporate Office, said the construction is ongoing for the replacement aqueduct.

An aqueduct is a structure built to transport water over long distances from a water source to where it is needed.

The Aqueduct Number 7 Project stretches a total of 15 kilometers from Bigte Basin in Norzagaray, Bulacan to Novaliches Portal in Lamesa Dam, Quezon City. The water infrastructure is designed to carry up to 1,857 million liters per day (MLD) of water.

The new aqueduct replaces the aging Aqueducts 1 and 2, which was constructed in 1939 and 1948, respectively, and can only deliver 300 MLD.

Mr. Dizon said that the project is funded by MWSS’ concessionaires — Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and Manila Water Co., Inc. — and is jointly implemented by all three parties.

The new aqueduct will be connected to the Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project Tunnel No. 5. The tunnel spans from Ipo Dam to Bigte Basin and carries a raw water supply of 1,642 MLD.

The P3.25-billion tunnel, which was completed in November last year, aims to upgrade the Umiray-Angat-Ipo-La Mesa water conveyance system that was built in the 1930s and 1960s.

Tunnel No. 5 is an addition to the Tunnel No. 4 which was constructed in 2020, providing redundancy so older tunnels and aqueducts can undergo maintenance or rehabilitation without interruption of water supply.

Patrick Lester N. Ty, chief regulator at the MWSS Regulatory Office, said that the completion of the two tunnels paves the way for the possible rehabilitation of aging tunnels.

“With the operation of tunnels 4 and 5, MWSS can now initiate the detailed investigation and assessment of Tunnels 1-3 whether for rehabilitation or decommissioning,” he said.