SMC, Datem bidding for P18.7-B Kaliwa Dam project

MANILA, Philippines - Two groups have submitted pre-qualification documents for the P18.72 billion New Centennial Water Source (NCWS) - Kaliwa Dam Project under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Program.

In a statement, the PPP Center said Datem-Abeima Consortium and San Miguel Holdings Corp. submitted pre-qualification documents for the project, proposed by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

The PPP project involves the financing, design, and construction of an additional raw water supply source with a design capacity of 600 MLD (million liters per day), through the commissioning of the Kaliwa Dam, including intake facilities and other pertinent facilities.

Also part of the project is a water conveyance system with a design capacity of 2,400 MLD, in anticipation of additional inflows from Laiban Dam which is upstream of the Kaliwa Dam.

Under the project, the government will pay the private partner a fixed annual amortization over 25 years.

The private partner will be responsible for the financing, detailed design and construction of the Kaliwa Dam, the intake facilities, other pertinent facilities and a water conveyance tunnel.

The PPP bidding will be conducted in accordance with Republic Act 7718 or the Amended Philippine Bulild-Operate-Transfer Law and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

The project aims to ensure long term water security in Metro Manila and nearby provinces through increased raw water supply to address future demand.

It also seeks to address the need for an additional water supply source to reduce the dependency on the Angat Dam reservoir.

The MWSS will announce the prequalified bidders for the project by next month.