The Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) is one of the finalists in the Global Water Awards for Water Deal of the Year, an annual recognition organized by the UK-based business magazine Global Water Intelligence. According to the awards website, this yearly ceremony started in 2006 and “recognizes the most important achievements in the international water industry within several categories, and reward those initiatives in the water, wastewater and desalination sectors that are moving the industry forward through improved operating performance, innovative technology adoption and sustainable financial models.”
The BBWSP is the country’s first PPP water project which was bagged by the Luzon Clean Water Development Corporation (LCWDC), a consortium of San Miguel Corp. (SMC) and Korea Water Resources Corporation.. LCWDC will finance the PPP project, prepare its detailed design, and build, operate and maintain the conveyance and water treatment facilities while developing a new water source. The government and the private partner broke ground on April 15, 2016 and the project reached financial close on December 12, 2016.
The BBWSP will provide treated bulk water to the various water districts (WDs) of Bulacan to help meet the increasing water demand of its consumers, expand its current service area coverage, and increase the households served. Around 541,000 households will have access to safe and reliable water supply covering 569 barangays.
The MWSS tapped the Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF), a revolving fund administered by the PPP Center, for the procurement of transaction advisors who were tasked to develop and prepare pre-feasibility, feasibility studies and tender documents for PPP projects, and provide assistance in the bidding process. The Center also provided technical advisory, project facilitation services, and capacity building support to MWSS in ensuring that PPP project is developed and implemented effectively. Currently, the Center is monitoring and providing assistance in the implementation of the project.
The awarding ceremony will take place at the Global Water Summit, a major business conference for the water industry worldwide, in Madrid, Spain on April 24.
