The China-backed New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project, deemed as a solution to the perennial water problem of Metro Manila, will start providing supply to consumers by early 2027.
At a forum on Wednesday, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System administrator Leonor Cleofas said project contractor China Energy Engineering Corporation Limited aims to finish the water facility before the end of 2026.
“The contract with China Energy is design and build, including the detailed engineering design, which is now 100 percent complete. There are two major components of the project, which are the tunneling and the construction of the dam,” Cleofas said.
“It has started with tunneling and it will be complete by the middle of 2026. At the same time, if the validation of the settlement of 46 families is accomplished, the dam will also begin and MWSS is endeavoring to complete the dam by 2026,” she added.
Once the entire facility is up and running by then, Cleofas said consumers can immediately start benefiting from the water project by early 2027.
Kaliwa Dam is a 60-meter-high concrete gravity dam on the Kaliwa River that will have a reservoir surface area of 291 hectares. It is regarded as the solution to an expected water shortage in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
It will have a maximum gross reservoir volume of 57 million cubic meters and a discharge capacity of 600 million liters a day.
It is a flagship project of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program. Now, the Marcos administration still prioritizes the project under the “Build, Better, More” scheme.
According to MWSS Chairman of the Board of Trustees Justice Elpidio Vega, the Kaliwa Dam is the only viable long-term solution that will provide redundancy to the Angat Dam, currently Metro Manila’s main water source.
“Kaliwa dam is a viable source, even if there are obstacles, we persevere and focus on the goal of preparing the medium- to long-term sources for Metro Manila. We cannot afford to pause and we have to work together in ensuring an adequate supply of potable water in the country,” Vega said.
“The future of MM’s water security rests heavily on us and the two concessionaires. MWSS resolved not to repeat the 2019 water fiasco,” he added.
Despite protests from green groups, the MWSS firmly stood that the water project strictly follows environmental laws to ensure that the project is sustainable and it will not harm the communities adjacent to the project site.
This year alone, Department of Public Works and Highways Assistant Secretary for Regional Operations in NCR Antonio V. Molano Jr. said P380 million has been earmarked for flood control projects in Infanta and General Nakar in Quezon province.