“We are happy that in spite of 45 years na gumagamit ang Davao City Water District ng ground water with around 65 water production wells, the supply remains abundant,” said Jovanna Cresta Duhaylungsod,deputy spokesperson of the Davao City Water District at the weekly Habi at Kape press conference on Wednesday.
She said the study was commissioned by the DCWD to evaluate the status of the ground water in Davao City using the different aquifers.
She said that in order to prevent sea water intrusion as what happened to Cebu City, they are exploring surface water through the Apo Agua Bulk water project so that the ground water will not be abused.
“With the Tamugan project (Apo Agua Bulk water project), we will be resting a number of (production) wells for a certain period of time,” Duhaylungsod said.
She said that after five years of rest they will be operating five production wells.
She said that there are challenges being undertaken by the Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc. in securing the land conversion area from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
“In terms of the Apo Agua, if they can secure the permit from DAR, after securing the permit the construction (of the water facility) will start and the construction will take around three years. So they are projecting to secure the permit this year,” she said.
As the adviser of the Aboitiz Company, Arturo M. Milan, President of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) said that the requirements are already with DAR for review.
“We are hoping that by the month of June it will be settled because it has been with DAR for quite a while,” he said.
As for the part of DCWD for the Apo Agua Bulk water project they are able to complete 13 of the major piping activity and there are only seven piping activity left and majority of these are in 50 percent in completion.
“We are projecting that we might be able to finish all of the piping activities in two years-time,” she said.
