Baguio mayor revives bulk water project

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines  – Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan might just earn another tag – not as the city’s “Mr. Janitor” but the city’s “Mr. Zombie Saver” this time.

This, as the highland resort city’s administration under the comebacking mayor is planning to revive the botched “bulk water project” purportedly to solve the city’s growing water supply woes.

Only last week, Domogan hinted of reviving the pay parking scheme in the city after getting irked by the parking chaos at the central business district, hence opening the floodgates of resurrecting the already “junked” controversial private-run pay parking arrangement in the city.

Domogan insisted during his regular press conference that the city has to partner well with the Baguio Water District to ensure sufficient water supply for the city considering that for the next five years water supply might be depleted due to rising population. The mayor bared that the existing BWD deep wells still are the city’s main source of water but a rising population necessitates a consideration for a bulk water supply.

The current water need of the city is estimated at 35,000 cubic meters daily. The BWD draws 55,000 cubic meters from 53 sources in different parts of the city.

Earlier Benguet Corp. offered the city bulk water supply pegged at P42 per cubic meter. The BWD cancelled the contract for the multi-billion-peso project after it failed to agree with BC on the buying water rate.