San Miguel Corp.’s (SMC) P24.4-billion Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project (BBWSP), a public-private partnership project of Luzon Clean Water Development Corp. and K-Water Resources Corp. officially started its commercial operations on Jan. 14.

SMC chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang said the water project would provide millions of residents from 24 localities in Bulacan ready access to fresh, potable water.

Before the project, Bulacan residents sourced their water from deep wells. Ang, who was also Luzon Clean Water president, said the project had a dry run last Dec. 17, and initially provided free water to residents of Obando, Meycauayan City, Marilao and Bocaue.

Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Administrator Reynaldo Velasco welcomed the speedy completion of the flagship project, the first major water project to be completed and inaugurated under the Duterte administration.

“We congratulate SMC, K-Water and Mr. Ang for the landmark completion of the BBWSP last Dec. 17, one month ahead of its contracted completion,” Velasco said.

The project, which started in 2012, consists of three stages.