President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday called on dam operators across the country to maximize their facilities not only to provide water but also to generate renewable energy.
Marcos appealed during the impounding process ceremony at the Upper Wawa Dam in Montalban, Rizal, urging dam operators to partner with the government for a more sustainable and energy-efficient country.
“I also call on our stakeholders, particularly those operating other dams nationwide, to maximize the use of your facilities by integrating other uses for the captured water, such as for the generation of renewable energy,” Marcos said.
“Let us work together in this endeavor to create a more sustainable and energy-efficient future for our nation,” he added.
Marcos also stressed the need for more multi-purpose dams to address the increasing water demand.
“We need to build more multi-purpose dams to ensure water supply not only for drinking but also for irrigation, power generation, flood control, aquaculture, and hopefully other technologies that we may engage in the future,” he said.
Upper Wawa Dam
The Upper Wawa Dam is expected to increase water supply in Metro Manila and nearby areas from 80 million to 438 million liters per day by the end of 2025, benefitting 2.2 to 3.5 million Filipinos.
The PHP26.5-billion Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project, according to the President, is expected to provide a reliable water supply of 700 million liters per day to over 700,000 households, serving 2.2 to 3.5 million Filipinos within the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) service area once it becomes operational.
The project will also help mitigate the perennial flooding problem in downstream areas and localities of the Marikina River.
The construction of the 85-meter-high and 438.5-meter-long roller-compacted concrete Upper Wawa Dam is a major component of the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project (WBWSP) Phase 2.
It is also the largest water supply dam to be built in over 50 years, next to the Angat Dam.
Marcos said the Upper Wawa Dam will foster climate resilience among Filipinos by protecting communities downstream from flooding and by mitigating the detrimental effects of drought.
“Having been accomplished a year ahead of schedule, this monumental development has set a new standard for infrastructure projects of similar magnitude in terms of scale and impact,” he said.
The President also extended his gratitude to the Prime Infrastructure Capital, joint venture partner WawaJVCo, and the MWSS for their commitment to building critical infrastructure systems that address the needs of the Filipinos and the country.
He said Phase 1 of the project, or the Tayabasan Weir, has improved the water supply situation in Rizal by providing a substantial water source, benefiting both the residents and businesses.
He then called on Prime Infra and WawaJVCo to continue collaborating with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to prioritize watershed protection in the dam and the reforestation and biodiversity preservation in the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape. (PNA)
