DPWH antiflood project in Manila 70% complete

By Jerry E. Esplanada |Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–The government’s P560-million flood interceptor project in Blumentritt, Manila, designed to direct floodwaters from the northern part of Metro Manila to the Tondo area and then out to Manila Bay, is already 70.66 percent complete.

This was reported recently by Reynaldo Tagudando, director of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ National Capital Region (DPWH-NCR) office.

In a text message to the Inquirer, Tagudando expressed confidence that the much-delayed major flood control project would be finished sometime in the “first quarter of 2015.”

The five-phase project, which started in July last year has been delayed by right-of-way issues, changes in the design due to the presence of underground facilities belonging to utility firms like Maynilad Water Services and inclement weather conditions, among others.

The DPWH’s water catchment facility is 3.3 kilometers long, 6 meters wide and 3 meters deep.

A DPWH-NCR report, a copy of which was provided to the Inquirer, disclosed that only Phase 1 of the project—which covers the construction of a 440-m box culvert from Laong Laan Street to the area between Dapitan and Piy Margal Streets—is 100 percent complete.

On the other hand, Phase 2, which has a total length of 560 m traversing the Manila North Cemetery on Calavite Street, has a completion rate of 84.25 percent.

Phase 3, which is over 1,300 m long and which runs from Javier Street to M. Natividad Street-Aurora Avenue, is 55.85 percent finished.

Phase 4, which is 700 m long and which stretches from M. Natividad Street-Aurora Avenue to the Manila North Cemetery, is 72 percent complete.

Phase 5, with a total length of 440 m and covers the Blumentritt Avenue-Calamba Street to Laong Laan areas, is 79 percent complete.

Meanwhile, Maynilad Water Services has finally started working on its pipe realignment project on Blumentritt Street.

The pipe lies directly in the path of the DPWH box culvert, causing the delay in the completion of the project.

Jennifer Rufo, chief of Maynilad’s Stakeholders Communications office, said they had “already dug two test pits (in the Blumentritt area).”

In an e-mail, she said “this is to measure the actual diameter and ovality of the pipe since we need to have specially fabricated pipe fittings to implement the realignment.”

“Once the measurements are determined and the test pits are secured, we will start actual diggings along one lane (northbound portion) of Juan Luna Street around the last week of October,” she added. According to her, two to three lanes of the street will remain open.

Earlier, she disclosed that March 31, 2015, would be the target completion date for the pipe realignment project which would run “seven days a week.”

The pipe, which has a diameter of 1.2 m, lies at the intersection of Juan Luna and Hermosa Streets.

Maynilad said there would be water service interruptions once the pipe realignment begins. Affected areas are parts of Manila, Malabon, Navotas, Pasay City, Makati City, Caloocan City, Imus and Kawit in Cavite and the entire cities of Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Parañaque and Bacoor City and Noveleta town, both in Cavite.

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