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K-water bids to build Philippines' first groundwater storage dam

Published: 17 Dec. 2024, 17:54 Updated: 17 Dec. 2024, 19:09

KIM JU-YEON
[email protected]

An employee of Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) presents the agency's final proposal to create water supply and sewage systems in New Clark City in the Philippines at a venue in Manila on Dec. 16. [KOREA WATER RESOURCES CORPORATION]

Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) aims to construct the Philippines' first groundwater storage dam by 2032 in a potential 1 trillion won ($695.4 million) deal.

K-water presented its final proposal for a water supply and drainage system in New Clark City, a planned city undergoing development in the Philippines, to senior Philippine government officials and the Korean ambassador to the Philippines in Manila on Monday, the state-run agency said Tuesday. The system would leverage AI to purify water and maintain its quality as well as prevent and address issues such as water leaks.

The corporation started developing the proposal in August, in collaboration with the Korea Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development Corporation as well as the private sector, on the request of the Philippine government's Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), which owns and manages the New Clark City project.

The winner of the bidding process has not yet been determined, though K-water stated that the government had “highly evaluated” its understanding of the region following the two parties' collaborations on the Angat Dam and water supply systems in Bulacan.

Should K-water secure the bid, it would enter a public-private partnership with the BCDA. The project’s first stage mainly consists of constructing a water intake system and developing and managing infrastructure including water supply and sewage systems. The first development stage would run from 2026 to 2050 and bring in an estimated 350 billion won.

K-water expects to make the remaining 650 billion won between 2050 and 2075 on additional infrastructure construction and management as the city expands.

New Clark City is currently being developed on a former military base around 100 kilometers (62 miles) northwest of Manila and is designed to accommodate 1.2 million people. It was proposed as a measure to reduce overpopulation in the capital city and to shield residents from floods and typhoons that the island country often experiences.

The agency also signed a memorandum of understanding with the BCDA to create a 10-square kilometer industrial park northwest of New Clark City for an undisclosed amount on Monday.

The results for the bid will come out after February, a spokesperson for K-water said.

BY KIM JU-YEON [[email protected]]