Largest PH desalination plant to be constructed in Iloilo
ILOILO CITY—The Metro Pacific Water Investments Corp. (Metro Pacific Water) and global environmental services leader Suez are working on a desalination plant here that will transform saltwater from the Iloilo Strait into potable water.
The plant, which aims to add 50 to 60 million liters per day (MLD) to the city’s water supply, is expected to be completed within two years, making it the largest facility of its kind in the Philippines.
The facility is projected to produce approximately 66,500 cubic meters of water daily, enough to supply drinking water to nearly 50,000 households and meet the industrial needs of a nearby power plant.
Metro Pacific Water president and chief executive officer Christopher Andrew Pangilinan and Suez Asia Head Farchad Kaviani signed an agreement in June at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, marking the commencement of a 65-MLD desalination plant.
This project, a part of Metro Pacific Water’s medium-term plans, is designed to meet the growing water demand in Metro Iloilo, according to Metro Pacific Water.
The project’s predevelopment phase began last January but the actual construction is set to begin in October this year and to be completed in two years, the company added.
The desalination plant will be powered by a P2.3-billion Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility (ISWMF) waste-to-energy project, which was developed in collaboration with MetPower Venture Partners Holdings Inc.
This facility, located in Barangay Ingore, La Paz here, can process 475 tons of waste daily and generate up to 3.5 megawatts (MW) of electricity.
Significant step
The ISWMF will provide an additional 10 MW to support the desalination plant.
“This partnership with Suez marks a significant step forward in our commitment to providing a sustainable and reliable water supply for the people of Metro Iloilo. The new desalination plant will ensure we can meet the rapidly growing demand of this dynamic metropolitan area for years to come,” Pangilinan said in a statement.
Metro Pacific Water is a key player in water and wastewater infrastructure development and operation and has been serving over five million people in the Philippines and Vietnam.
In Iloilo, its subsidiary, Metro Pacific Iloilo Water, services Iloilo City and the towns of Pavia, Leganes, Sta. Barbara, Cabatuan, Oton, San Miguel and Maasin.
“What is good with this desalination [plant] is that it is located within the southern part, in Iloilo City itself, at Barangay Ingore. Right now, the supply source is from Maasin, which is in the far north, while that of the other source is in the northeast, so the flow going to Iloilo City is already used up by consumers,” said David Berba, Metro Pacific Iloilo Water chief operating officer.
He added: “Through this collaboration, Metro Pacific Water and Suez are setting a benchmark for future infrastructure projects, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to sustainability and innovation to meet the evolving needs of growing communities.”
