Gov’t grants incentives to Manila Water project

09/08/2008

The government has allowed the Manila Water Co. Inc., a concessionaire of the Manila Water Sewerage System (MWSS), to enjoy tax breaks for its planned Bulacan Bulk Water Supply project that would entail an estimated cost of P5.095 billion.

The Board of Investments (BoI) has registered the proposed venture on a pioneer status.

Manila Water intends to be a new bulk supplier of treated water while local district and local government units will handle the distribution.

The firm plans to put up a new treatment plant in San Jose del Monte Bulacan with an estimated capacity of 230 million liters per day.

Among the areas in Bulacan that are expected to benefit include Sta. Maria, Pandi, Bulacan, Meycauayan, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiginto, Malolos, Marilao and Obando.

Manila Water will source water from the Umiray Angat Transpacific.

In December 2007, the MWSS and the province of Bulacan has signed the bulk water supply agreement that will pave the way for the development of the project and the long-awaited extension of water service to Bulacan.

The project will be implemented into three phases. The first phase which will initially cover 10 towns will be finished by 2010, the second phase which will cover another 5 towns will be finished in 2012 while the third phase which will last until 2017 will cover the remaining towns

The first phase involves the provision of potable water to two cities and eight towns of Bulacan — the cities of Malolos and Meycauayan and the towns of Bocaue, Balagtas, Bulacan, Marilao, Guiguinto, Obando, Santa Maria and Pandi — that currently have problems on groundwater depletion and saltwater intrusions on its aquifer. Ayen Infante

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