MWSS: Kaliwa Dam completed by 2026, operational by 2027

The China-funded New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project, a flagship project of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program, is expected to be completed by 2026 and operational by early 2027, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) said Wednesday.

“The contract with China Energy [Engineering Corporation] is to design and build, including the detailed engineering design, which is now 100% complete. There are two major components of the project, which are the tunneling and the construction of the dam,” MWSS Administrator Leonor C. Cleofas said at a forum.

“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.

The P12.2-billion Kaliwa Dam project, once completed, is expected to begin supplying water “start of 2027,” according to the MWSS official.

The project, seen to provide Metro Manila with 600 million liters of water per day, covers portions of the municipalities of Tanay, Antipolo, and Teresa in Rizal and General Nakar and Infanta in Quezon.

It is being constructed by China Energy Engineering Corporation through an official development assistance loan of $211.414 million signed by the Philippine and Chinese governments in 2018.

About 85% of the project will be funded through a Chinese loan, while the remaining 15% will be financed by the MWSS.

The dam is a 60-meter-high concrete gravity dam on the Kaliwa River that will have a reservoir surface area of 291 hectares.

The project is seen to have a maximum gross reservoir volume of 57 million cubic meters and a discharge capacity of 600 million liters a day.

“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,” MWSS Chairman of the Board of Trustees Justice Elpidio Vega said.

“The future of [Metro Manila's] water security rests heavily on us and the two concessionaires. MWSS resolved not to repeat the 2019 water fiasco,” he added.

The project has been met with opposition, with community groups saying that over 14,000 households of mainly indigenous peoples would be displaced.

The MWSS earlier said it secured the nods of the indigenous peoples (IPs) communities in General Nakar in Quezon and Tanay, Rizal. 

A supporter of the Dumagat indigenous people, however, said that the IPs were manipulated into consenting to the project.

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) said the approval of the Kaliwa Dam Project was made after several deliberations with the leaders and representatives of the affected IPs. — BM, GMA Integrated News