By next year, some 50,000 households or an estimated 300,000 people will benefit from a new pipeline that will service the Cagayan de Oro City Water District’s East Service Area from Barangays Lapasan to Bugo.
“More water and stronger pressure,” said Eduardo Montalvan, chairman of the COWD Board of Directors, when asked to comment on the impact of the new pipeline on the individual concessionaire living in the East Service Area.
The East Pipeline will tap treated water from COBI’s bulk water treatment plant in Baungon, Bukidnon for COWD’s East Service Area.
The project involves the laying of a 600 millimeter (mm) steel pipeline along the South Diversion Road in Barangays Indahag, Macasandig and Camaman-an, which will carry treated water from the Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water, Inc. (COBI) bulk water treatment plant in Baungon, Bukidnon to the COWD’s existing 5,300 cubic meter (cu.m.) Camaman-an Reservoir, and a new off-take point in the barangay, and the Retrofitting and Waterproofing of the said reservoir which has been unused for the past few years.
“The Eastern Pipeline will enable COWD to bring water to the eastern part of the service area,” said Engr. Bienvenido V. Batar, Jr., COWD Acting General Manager.
“Ultimately, this pipeline will carry 40 million liters daily (MLD) and increase our capability to deliver water service to areas such as Taguanao, Mandumol, Upper Cugman, Upper Gusa, and Camaman-an.”
“This will also help us balance the existing supply from Macasandig and Bugo, and hopefully improve water service in the entire eastern part of the city,” Batar added.
Total cost for the nine kilometer pipeline and the Camaman-an Reservoir retrofitting and waterproofing is estimated at P251-million.
Metro Pacific Investments Corp.(MWIC) will finance the project up front but it will be turned over to and operated by the COWD upon its estimated completion date 12 months hence.
The ground-breaking ceremony was held Friday, August 3, 2018 at Tipolohon Junction, Barangay Camaman-an, graced by top officials of MWIC, MPIC, COWD and City Mayor Oscar S. Moreno.
Mayor Oscar Moreno leads COBI, COWD, MWIC, MPIC and LGU officials during groundbreaking rites for the Eastern Pipeline Project held August 3 at Tipolohon Junction, Bgy. Camaman-an. (RMB,NPN)
“This is a breakthrough, a milestone, a crucial big leap for Cagayan de Oro!” quipped Moreno when asked to comment on the project. “Thanks to COWD and Metro Pacific Water!”
According to Engr. Elezar Linaac, COWD Assistant General Manager for Technical Services charged with coordinating the project with MWIC, the new pipeline and reservoir will improve water pressure and supply to the East Service area by June 2019 at the latest.
The new facility is expected to initially supply an additional 20 million liters daily (MLD) of treated potable water to benefit the East Service Area from Barangays Lapasan to Tablon, (including Camaman-an) during the first year of operations, to be augmented by an additional 20 MLD during the second year.
This would bring to 100 MLD the total bulk water supplied to COWD by COBI, which only recently increased bulk water delivery to the West Service Area from 40 MLD to 60 MLD daily.
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