Q.1. What is the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project?
The Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP) is one of the Philippines’ largest private bulk water facilities, supplying safe, reliable, and sustainable water to the Davao City Water District (DCWD). At full capacity, the DCBWSP is delivering 300 million liters per day (MLD) of water from the Tamugan River to the DCWD, for the benefit of over one million Davaoeños. The DCBWSP is a joint venture between DCWD and Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. (Apo Agua), one of the water business units and a subsidiary of Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC), the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group.
Q.2. What is the relationship between DCWD and Apo Agua?
Apo Agua and DCWD are joint venture partners in the DCBWSP. The partnership is divided into two vital components: Part A is led by Apo Agua and involves the production of water supply, it involves the construction of Raw Water Intake facilities, Water Treatment Plant, and Treated Water Pipelines. Part B is managed by DCWD, and involves the distribution of water supply to consumers, focusing on tapping and interconnecting pipes, installing reservoirs, and laying distribution lines.
The DCBWSP enables the DCWD to augment its current groundwater sources with the sustainably sourced surface water of the Tamugan River, allowing the DCWD to recharge the majority of its wells, responding to Davao City’s rapid growth, and protecting it from environmental degradation, land subsidence, and saltwater intrusion.
Q.3. Why do we need the project?
The Davao City Water District (DCWD) has been using groundwater for almost 50 years. There is an urgent need to look for a sustainable and alternative water source to limit the extraction of groundwater and allow the aquifers to rest. Moreover, the water demand of Davao City is rapidly increasing due to population growth and urbanization, thus the need to augment the water supply of the DCWD with the available use of both sustainable surface water and groundwater sources, protecting it from environmental degradation, land subsidence, and saltwater intrusion.
Q.4. What are the unique features of the Project?
The Apo Agua facility is designed using the water-energy nexus concept – a first in Southeast Asia – this enables the facility to fully power itself with an integrated Hydroelectric Power Plant. The same water used to generate power is treated and supplied to the DCWD.
Q.5. Is the Project complete?
Yes, Apo Agua official commercial operation started last February 14, 2024, the works necessary to commence water distribution to the DCWD are all complete, and the facilities are in full operation.
