By Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine
Star) | Updated March 21, 2014 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - Manila Water
subsidiary Boracay Island Water Co. Inc. is laying down this year a new sewer
network and is bidding out the construction of a new sewage treatment plant.
Boracay Water general manager Ben
Mañosca said the concessionaire now services 5, 600 connections within Boracay
Island in the province of Aklan. Talks, he said are underway for possible
expansion outside its concession area.
The company is preparing for the
three-year construction of the P298-million sewer network that would cover
Barangay Manoc-Manoc and surrounding areas. The 12-kilometer sewer network
would supplement the functions of the existing nine-kilometer wastewater
treatment network covering Barangay Balabag and surrounding areas.
In addition to this, 14 lift stations
would be constructed to augment the functions of the eight existing ones.
Boracay Water is also set to begin
this year the construction of a new sewage treatment plant (STP) in Barangay
Manoc-Manoc. The new (STP) could treat up to five million liters of wastewater
per day, aiding the functions of the upgraded Balabag sewage treatment plant
which could treat up to 6.5 million liters of water per day.
Boracay Water is the joint venture
company of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and
Manila Water Co. Inc.
It is one of the two water utility
firms serving potable water to barangays Manoc-Manoc, Balabag and Yapak in
Boracay Island. Its sources water from the Nabaoy River in mainland Aklan.
Boracay Water has trimmed its target
of attaining 100-percent coverage in wastewater by 2016 to a coverage goal of
just 75 percent to minimize disruption in tourism activities in the island and
avoid the need for another rate hike.
The company last year sought out a 35-
percent increase in its water rates which was approved for implementation on a
staggered basis. Last year, a rate hike of 10.5 percent was implemented, while
a rate hike of 9.18 percent has been implemented since January 1 this year.
“In laying down the wastewater
treatment infrastructure, we prioritized the developed areas, those which have
the greatest impact on the environment which is the Balabag and Manoc-Manoc
areas. Barangay Yapak is not yet as developed so we are still deliberating on
the timeframe for attaining 100-percent coverage in wastewater treatment,” said
Manosca.
Boracay Water now charges P84 per
cubic meter for commercial establishments and P240 for the first 10 cubic
meters for residential consumers.
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