DPWH: Flood project delayed by Maynilad pipe work

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has asked Maynilad Water Services to speed up the realignment of a water pipe so that it could finally complete its much-delayed P560-million flood interceptor project in Blumentritt, Manila.

DPWH engineers expressed concern over the slow pace of the work being done by the water firm at the intersection of Juan Luna and Hermosa Streets.

As of Jan. 31, the water pipe realignment was only 50-percent complete although the DPWH had asked Maynilad to have it finished by February.

Jennifer Rufo, head of Maynilad’s Stakeholders Communications Office, told the Inquirer Tuesday that the utility firm remained committed to completing the project by the end of March—a deadline they were “still on track” to meet.

The water pipe, which has a diameter of 1.2 meters, has to be realigned since it lies directly in the path of the DPWH flood control box culvert that is 3.3-kilometers long, six meters wide and three meters deep. The culvert is designed to direct floodwaters from the northern sections Metro Manila to the Tondo area and finally out to Manila Bay.

A check with DPWH-National Capital Region director Reynaldo Tagudando showed that the flood interceptor project was just 79.7 percent complete. Started in July 2013, the project was supposed to be finished in 300 days.

Rufo recalled that “during our last coordination meeting [with DPWH], an earlier completion date was brought up… But we explained that to accomplish that, we’d have to close Juan Luna Street to all traffic throughout the duration of the project, which is unrealistic.”

That is why “our commitment has always been to complete the project by end of March (2015),” she added.

Maynilad was almost done with the “laying of the 1.5-meter bypass line which we’ll use to minimize water service interruption.”

“We’ll be ready to energize [let water flow through] the bypass by mid-February,” she added.

Maynilad earlier said there would be service interruptions during the implementation of the pipe realignment project. To be affected are parts of Manila, Malabon, Navotas, Caloocan City, Pasay City, Makati City, Imus and Kawit in Cavite province and the entire cities of Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Parañaque and Bacoor City and Noveleta town, both in Cavite.