Manila Water strengthens water security and climate resilience with full stewardship of Upper Wawa Dam

East Zone concessionaire Manila Water has reinforced its commitment to delivering 24/7 water supply across its service area through the official takeover of operations of the Upper Wawa Dam, following the successful acquisition of WawaJVCo.

Following the successful acquisition of WawaJVCo, East Zone concessionaire Manila Water formally assumed control of Upper Wawa Dam operations, reaffirming its commitment to providing a 24-hour water supply across its service region.

With the completion of the turnover in October, WawaJVCo personnel were formally welcomed into the Manila Water family, signifying the official transfer of operations from Prime Infra to Manila Water.  By consolidating the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project under Manila Water's supervision, this calculated action guarantees increased operational effectiveness and long-term water security for its clients.

Along with current facilities like the Wawa-Calawis Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Antipolo City, Cardona WTP in Rizal, and East Bay WTP, which both take water from Laguna Lake, the acquisition supports Manila Water's continuous attempts to diversify and secure alternate water supplies.

The Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project, the biggest water source development since 1967, will help over 700,000 homes, or around 3.5 million Filipinos, in the MWSS concession area by delivering up to 710 million liters per day (MLD).

“The Upper Wawa Dam is the largest dam built in the Philippines in over 50 years. For decades, Angat Dam has been our primary water source. With the completion of the project, the facility now provides an additional layer of reliability for Metro Manila’s water supply, not just for our East Zone service area, but as an extra source that can support the broader Metro Manila region.” ~Joe Costales, Newly Appointed General Manager of WawaJVCo

Beyond water security, Manila Water's dedication to climate resilience is shown in the Upper Wawa Dam, which safeguards not only its infrastructure but also—and perhaps more significantly—the communities it serves.  The dam, which was built mainly as a source of water, has proven to be an essential flood mitigation tool. Government organizations have frequently mentioned the dam's role in preventing floods in Rizal and Marikina's susceptible districts by collecting and storing extra rainfall.

By regulating water outflow and reducing flow from 2,100 m³/s to 200 m³/s, the Upper Wawa Dam considerably lessened the downstream flood damage in Rizal and Metro Manila during Super Typhoon Carina in 2024.  Due to intense rainfall, the 450-hectare reservoir—which can hold up to 120 million cubic meters of water—nearly filled in two days, holding more than 90 million cubic meters.  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Governor Nina Ynares of Rizal were among the government authorities who praised the dam for averting serious harm.

Marikina 2nd District Representative Miro Quimbo gave appreciation to the Upper Wawa Dam for lessening flooding in Marikina City during Typhoon Crising during a press conference held in August of this year.  Quimbo claims that the impact of the tropical cyclone was greatly reduced because more than 51% of the floodwater was collected by the dam's reservoir rather than entering Marikina.

Manila Water and WawaJVCo is presently preparing for the December 2025 official launch of its commercial operations.