Davao City Water District (DCWD) spokesperson Jovana Cresta Duhaylungsod on Monday announced that the second tranche of the water rate adjustment at 20 percent will implemented in this month’s consumption and will be reflected in the March billing.
“The second tranche implementation of our water rate adjustment, which is already long overdue, is going to be implemented in the February consumption and will be reflected in the March billing. We will be implementing a 20 percent hike for the second tranche,” Duhaylungsod said in the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao on Monday.
The announcement of rate increase came just five days after the inauguration of the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP) of Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. in partnership with DCWD.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the inauguration of the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP) at Apo Agua Treatment Plant in Barangay Gumalang, Baguio District, Davao City last Wednesday.
Considered the largest of its kind in the country, the project delivers 300 million liters of water daily to Davao City’s long-time water provider.
It also augments DCWD’s reliance on groundwater sources allowing the water utility company to recharge the majority of its wells.
“The 20 percent is the second tranche of the 60 percent that we requested sa LWUA in 2021, which consequently was approved but considering the financial situation then coming from a pandemic we strategize the implementation of the 60 percent into tranches,” Duhaylungsod explained.
In April 2022, Davao City’s water supply distributor filed for a 60 percent rate increase, which it plans to implement over three years. The proposed water rate adjustment was evaluated and approved by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).
In August of the same year, DCWD implemented the water rate adjustment of 30 percent wherein the minimum charge before the adjustment was at P137.30, and with the 30 percent adjustment was at P178.50.
She also explained that the 20 percent water rate adjustment was supposedly implemented last year and the third and last tranche, which is the 10 percent is to be implemented this year.
“But meron kasing delay on the approval with the 20 percent that is why wala po tayong na implement na water rate adjustment last year. Instead, the 20 percent na supposed to be implemented last year, ngayon pa i-implement,” Duhaylungsod said.
Duhaylungsod said that the approval and the implementation of the 20 percent this year, this enable the DCWD to move more projects for service improvements in Davao City.
She announced that the 10 percent or the last tranche is eyed to be implemented later this year.
“We will announce once it is approved and will be reflected in the billing. Hopefully, this 2024,” Duhaylungsod said.
DCWD said the proposed rate adjustment is necessary to generate funds for service area expansion and keep up with public and private infrastructure developments in the next 10 years.
