Manila Water Services, Inc., (Manila Water) hopes to complete planned investments in water projects that will allow it to expand to Australia and Cebu.

According to Manila Water chief finance officer Jose Luis Oreta, they are still threshing out the details of the terms of reference for the swiss challenge to their proposed P1.5 billion bulk water supply project in Cebu.

Oreta said the company is also waiting for the consent of other parties in Australia for their entry into the Australian unit of partner United Utilities, PLC.

The provincial government of Cebu had earlier accepted MWC’s proposal which will source water from Luyang River in Carmen town for distribution to several cities and municipalites North of Cebu.

“In the case of Cebu we are now back to the negotiating table with the provincial government. Since the present governor was re-elected, we have resumed discussions for a 30 million liter per day bulk water project,” said Oreta.

He added that “we hope to conclude the swiss challenge by the end of the year so that we would be able to start the actual design and construction,” added Oreta noting that there are still four more months before year end.

Manila Water earlier said the built-operate-transfer (BOT) project will have no “take or pay” provision in the contract. The company will also turnover the asset of the bulk water project to the provincial government after the 25-year lease period.

“It is up to them to accept, together with the terms of the contract. So... we are supposed to finalize the terms of reference, then those terms will be up for price challenge,” said Oreta.

For its Australian venture, Manila Water earlier said it entered into a consortium composed of Mitsubishi Corporation, Innovations Network Corporation of Japan and JGC Corporation, for the acquisition of United Utilities Australia Pty. Ltd. for $225 million.

United Utilities Australia and its subsidiaries own and operate 35 water treatment and 22 wastewater treatment plants, nine reuse schemes and four desalination facilities in several areas in Australia.

“You have to get consent of the partners, (and) of the customers. The transaction will not close until you get their consent to the buy-out. So we expect that will take another two months,” said Oreta.