The Gotianun conglomerate is committed to developing a desalination plant in Cebu to address the water supply issue in the second largest metropolitan area in the Philippines.
FDC Utilities Inc. (FDCUI), a subsidiary of Filinvest Development Corp., aims to begin construction of an 80 million liters per day (MLD) desalination facility soon, according to FDCUI President and CEO Juan Eugenio Roxas.
“Hopefully, we will get that off the ground. The most expensive water is no water at all,” Roxas said during a water security forum hosted by Stratbase ADR Institute.
Despite the high cost of the desalination process, FDCUI is compelled to pursue the project due to the limited bulk water supply of only 270 MLD in Metro Cebu, which falls short of the demand of 570 MLD, as stated by Roxas.
“It is going to be blended with the existing supply of the water districts, so it is not going to be that expensive,” he said. “So as we speak, there is a shortage of 300 MLD.”
READ: MCWD to buy water from private desalination plants in 2023
The Buhisan Dam, constructed in 1911, is the sole bulk water source in Cebu, the province where Filinvest founder Andrew Gotianun Sr. began the Filinvest group.
“It is now prohibited to dig deep wells but even if you have to dig, it is contaminated with saltwater,” he added.
Roxas mentioned that FDCUI has been involved in small-scale desalination projects for the past five years.
Making seawater potable
In July 2021, the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) awarded FDCUI a 25-year contract to supply potable water to Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Talisay City.
READ: Filinvest unit bags 25-year Metro Cebu water deal
The company is expected to deliver desalinated seawater to MCWD at the following volumes: 30,000 cubic meters per day (CMD) for Marigondon, 30,000 CMD for South Road Properties in Cebu City, and 20,000 CMD for Talisay City.
It previously stated that the desalination facilities would utilize Hitachi Ltd.’s high-recovery seawater desalination technology.
“Cebu is an island surrounded by the sea, tapping its abundant water source will provide access to water of the appropriate quality and quantity, allowing MCWD to close the gap on its supply deficiency,” Roxas said at the time. INQ
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Omprakash Tiwary is a business writer who delves into the intricacies of the corporate world. With a focus on finance and economic landscape. He offers readers valuable insights into market trends, entrepreneurship, and economic developments.
Denial of responsibility! Samachar Central is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
