New desalination plant to boost Iloilo water supply

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

Metro Pacific Water Investments Corp. (Metro Pacific Water) and Suez, a global leader in environmental services, have joined forces to construct a 65-million liters per day (MLD) desalination plant in Iloilo City.

The groundbreaking agreement was signed on June 18, 2024, at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, by Metro Pacific Water President and CEO Christopher Andrew B. Pangilinan and Suez Asia Head Farchad Kaviani.

Metro Iloilo is undergoing rapid economic and population growth, driven by investments in business process outsourcing (BPO) and tourism industries.

This expansion has strained the existing water resources, making the desalination plant a crucial project to ensure a sustainable and reliable water supply.

“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.

Kaviani emphasized the importance of the collaboration to Iloilo.

“We are proud to partner with Metro Pacific Water on this important project. Our expertise in desalination technology will contribute to a secure and sustainable water source for Iloilo,” Kaviani added.

The plant, strategically located within Iloilo City at Barangay Ingore, Lapaz, aims to add 50 to 60 MLD by converting saltwater from the Iloilo Strait into potable water.

The location within the city limits ensures a direct and efficient supply, addressing long-standing water shortages exacerbated by the city’s growth.

David Berba, Chief Operating Officer of Metro Pacific Water, emphasized the importance of the plant’s location.

“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, as we have seen in Pavia, where there has been commercial growth left and right,” he said.

The desalination plant, part of Metro Pacific Water’s medium-term plans, began pre-development works in January 2024.

It will be powered by a ₱2.3-billion Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility (ISWMF) waste-to-energy project, developed in collaboration with MetPower Venture Partners Holdings, Inc.

Metro Pacific Water, the leading developer and operator of water and wastewater infrastructure in the Philippines, serves over 5 million people across the Philippines and Vietnam through its water and wastewater concessions.

Its subsidiary in Iloilo, Metro Pacific Iloilo Water, a joint venture with Metro Iloilo Water District, caters to Iloilo City and the municipalities of Pavia, Leganes, Sta. Barbara, Cabatuan, Oton, San Miguel, and Maasin.