Marcos wants water projects finished

(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday ordered the fast completion of all water projects in the country amid an impending water crisis due to El Niño.

«It is for this reason that I continually stress the urgency of improving water security and directed agencies concerned to expedite the completion of all water projects across the country,» Marcos said during the inauguration of the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project in Davao City.

The President said that disruptions to the water supply degrade the quality of life, dampen economic activity and fuel disorder.

Marcos added that water scarcity remains to be the hardest form of emergency to contain but can be prevented through foresight, right plans, united action and political will.

«Anticipating problems instead of letting them catch us by surprise is how we approach these challenges in the Bagong Pilipinas. We prepare for contingencies, solve problems, and defuse potential crises before they occur. We dream of building a nation our children that proudly inherit — that our children can proudly inherit. And as such, this project is worth bequeathing to the generations that will come after us,» the President said.

The new water project is among the country's largest private bulk water supply facilities, established through a public-private partnership project between the Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., a water subsidiary of Aboitiz InfraCapital, and the Davao City Water District (DCWD).

At full capacity, the facility can deliver 300 million liters of treated water per day from the Tamugan River to DCWD.

«It is not just about supplying Davao City with bulk water, it is also about ensuring that its people are provided with clean water and to improve their quality of life. Now, the facility has been delivering 300 million liters of water per day to over one million households in Davao City,» Marcos said.

The President added that the new water project would enable the DCWD to replenish the majority of its wells to meet Davao City's rapid growth. It would also aid in protecting the city from environmental degradation, land subsidence and saltwater intrusion.