Genvi shows rainwater diversion plan

GENVI Development Corp. yesterday presented its rainwater diversion plan to divert half the volume of water running through its mountain subdivision project into the Guadalupe River.

Engineer Aristotle Agbisit, vice president for technical and planning, said the plan would only be implemented once the Cease and Desist Order (CDO) is lifted by the Cebu city government.

The CDO was issued against Genvi following the July 20 flooding which affected eight Guadalupe sitios.

The rainwater diversion plans is part of phase II of their project which would already involve the North Ridge cluster.

Genvi is developing Phase 1, a 74-hectare Northvale above Grand Legacy subdivision.pe. Phase 1 is estimated to cost P1 billion.

“As a developer we are not taking anything lightly,” said Dindo Perez, Genvi managing director, during a press conference yesterday explaining the drainage plan for their Monterrazas de Cebu project.

Agbisit said the project has 13 water detention ponds worth P3 million to P4 million each.

The ponds are situated in different corners of their 200-hectare mountain development site.

Agbisit said the ponds are designed to also capture silt so that only floodwater is slowly discharged into the drainage system.

“But the problem is the inadequate off site drainage,” he said referring to the existing drainainge system outside their area to receive the storm water.

Perez said that they are discussing plans with Grand Legacy and South Plains homeowners associations to widen their drainage system so that Genvi could also use this to receive runoff water from their work site.

At least P10 million has been set aside for the purpose, said Perez.

“We are committed to go beyond what is legally demandable of us,” said Perez.  Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac