At least 1.2 million liters per day (1.2 MLD) of additional potable water will flow inside SCWD's pipes with the infusion of the new bulk water supply from Abejo Waters Corp., SCWD's joint venture partner since 2012.

Sorsogon City Mayor Ester E. Hamor led the ceremonial opening of the by-pass valve on Feb. 15 as part of the blessing and inauguration of the new deepwell source, showcasing the volume of water produced by the new St. Raphael Pumping Station at St. Raphael Subd., Brgy. Pangpang, another milestone witnessed by the SCWD Board of Directors, Management and staff, Abejo Waters Corp. management and staff led by AWC President and CEO Borgy Abejo, PrimeWater personnel led by Branch Manager Engr. Hendrickson E. Latonio, barangay officials led by Kgwd. Carlos Jarabejo and the St. Raphael Homeowners Association led by Oscar Firmanes, president.

The new and additional St. Raphael PS is one of the priority projects of SCWD and its JV partner AWC, and in line with the objective of the local government of Sorsogon City under the leadership of Mayor Hamor to provide potable and dependable water supply for all.

Here's the timeline of the project ---
RATIONALE
PrimeWater-Sorsogon City reported a water supply deficiency of 5 million liters per day (5 MLD) for Sorsogon City as of December 2019 thus, the SCWD Management has been relentlessly identifying water sources and instructing PrimeWater to develop these additional water sources.

With the existing SCWD Joint Venture Agreement with Abejo Waters Corp. (AWC) for a bulk water supply of at least 3 million liters per day, the SCWD Board of Directors authorized AWC to utilize SCWD’s property at St. Raphael Subdivision, Brgy. Pangpang for a proposed drilling of one exploratory well.

Watch the full video of the lessing and inauguration of the new St. Raphael Pumping Station.
TIMELINE

• January 14, 2020
  SCWD IGM Engr. Eduardo P. Tejada wrote AWC President and CEO Gabino M. Abejo Jr. requesting for a plan of action to resolve issues on supply delivery pursuant to the JV agreement which requires a minimum daily supply of 3,000 cubic meters
• February 22, 2020
  SCWD Legal Counsel Atty. Ian Ll. Macasinag, at the behest of the SCWD, wrote AWC a reminder to implement the necessary corrective action to comply with provisions of the SCWD AWC bulk water supply agreement.
• March 2, 2020
  The Sangguniang Barangay of Pangpang through Punong Barangay Roberto ‘Bert’ Balde issued Resolution No. 18, S. 2020 interposing no objection to AWC’s construction of a deepwell and pumping station at St. Raphael Subdivision, Brgy. Pangpang The resolution was supported by 37 signatures signifying no objection or agreeing to the project
• March 10, 2020
  The SCWD Board of Directors authorized SCWD IGM Engr. Eduardo P. Tejada to enter into an agreement with AWC for the lease of SCWD’s property at St. Raphael Subdivision, Brgy. Pangpang
• April 27, 2020
  AWC filed a Water Permit Application for the proposed well source development at St. Raphael Subdivision, Brgy. Pangpang
• May 5, 2020 PrimeWater received a letter signed by 24 residents of St. Raphael Subdivision opposing the proposed well drilling citing various reasons such as adverse effect to ground elevation, damage to houses, noise pollution and that there was no affidavits of no objection
• May 7, 2020
  SCWD wrote all 24 residents of St. Raphael Subdivision explaining the purpose of the project, its benefits to the community and the legal actions taken by SCWD, including the filing of water permit and seeking the endorsement of the host barangay through a resolution interposing no objection
• May 13, 2020
  SCWD formally instructed AWC, in letter to President and CEO Gabino M. Abejo Jr., to commence with the drilling of proposed well at St. Raphael Subdivision effective immediately
• May 13 – June 29, 2020 Drilling and reaming of 8-inch diameter pilot hole with a depth of 90 meters
• July 1, 2020
  AWC completed the potential logging
• July 6, 2020
  SCWD approved the final well design for implementation
• July 7-12, 2020
  AWC installed well casing and stainless steel screens
• July 13-17, 2020
  AWC conducted well development by backwashing, surging and air-jetting
• July 19, 2020
  AWC performed air-lifting
• August 5-7, 2020
  AWC completed 72-hour constant discharge test (pump test) of the newly-developed well with an estimated yield of 1,200 cubic meters per day
• August 8, 2020
  AWC collected water sample at the newly-developed well for physical-chemical analysis
• August 19, 2020
  AWC informed the SCWD Board and Management of the completion of the well drilling at St. Raphael Subdivision
• October 6, 2020
  The proposed pipelaying and interconnection design, detailed estimate and individual program of work for the newly-developed St. Raphael deepwell source was prepared and approved by SCWD and conformed by PrimeWater-Sorsogon City SCWD, in a letter, formally instructed Mr. Abejo to commence with the approved and conformed interconnection works at two points of the SCWD water system (2-in diameter inside St. Raphael Subdivision and 6-in diameter along Pangpang Highway near Tentyard Hotel)
• Oct. 7 – Nov. 25, 2020
  AWC constructed pump house, transformer pad and perimeter fence for the proposed St. Raphael Pumping Station
• November 23, 2020
  AWC submitted test results of physical chemical analysis of water sample from newly-developed well indicating compliance to the 2017 Philippine National Standards Drinking Water
• November 26, 2020
  SCWD informed PB Bert Balde of the commencement of the pipelaying from the new St. Raphael Pumping Station to the existing SCWD water system
• Dec. 30, 2020 – Jan. 6, 2021
  AWC implemented pipelaying of 6-inch diameter PVC pipes from pumping station to proposed tapping point along Pangpang Highway
• Jan. 7-30, 2021
  AWC installed riser pipes, submersible pump and motor, electromechanical equipment and controls for the newly-developed well
• January 7, 2021
  SCWD informed the Department of Public Works and Highways Sorsogon First District Engineering Office (DEO) of the proposed interconnection works of the new deepwell source along Pangpang Highway near Tentyard Hotel
• January 14, 2021
  DPWH Sorsogon First DEO conducted site inspection together with SCWD and AWC representatives
• January 18, 2021
  DPWH Sorsogon First DEO grants SCWD’s request to excavate along Maharlika Highway to facilitate interconnection works provided that warning signs are installed to warn motorists and avoid accidents and that damaged portions be restored to its original condition
• February 6, 2021
  AWC completed the interconnection of the new source to the existing 2-inch diameter pipeline near the pumping station
• February 9, 2021
  AWC completed the interconnection of the new source to the existing 6-inch diameter pipeline along Pangpang Highway near Tentyard Hotel
• February 10, 2021
  ACW received Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) No. ECC-OL-R05-2021-0032 from the Environmental Management Bureau dated February 9, 2021 on the St. Raphael well drilling project
• February 15, 2021
  Blessing and Inauguration of the new St. Raphael Pumping Station