By Madelaine B. Miraflor At the seemingly tail end of a water crisis, outgoing chief of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) has defended the government's decision to privatize water distribution in Metro Manila, saying that the successful legal framework between MWSS and water utilities are actually now being adopted by other countries.   MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco During the Wallace Business Forum, MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco said the successful legal framework of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between MWSS and the concessionaires, Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and Manila Water Company, Inc., is now being replicated in other parts of the country and also in our ASEAN neighbors like Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The real-life threatening situation due to lack of potable water back in the 1990s prompted then President Fidel Ramos to enact the Water Crisis Act. His issuance of Executive Order (EO) No. 311 on March 20, 1996 paved the way for the privatization of the MWSS, a heavily indebted agency incapable of viable operations. The EO authorized MWSS to enter into arrangements involving private sector participation in aspects of MWSS operations or facilities. "I always refer to the privatization of MWSS as a master stroke of a genius by no less than former President Fidel V. Ramos," Velasco said. The decision of the Ramos administration to privatize MWSS drew flak a few months ago after several parts of Metro Manila had to experience low to no water service interruptions for weeks, which was implemented by Manila Water is it ran out of supply. Velasco said the problem of water shortage felt early this year demonstrated what would happen if no new water infrastructure projects are pursued. MWSS concessionaires Manila Water and Maynilad currently provides for the water requirement of 6.8 million and 9.5 million people, respectively. Both these companies source bulk of their water from Angat Dam. "Imagine an ever-increasing water requirement for agricultural, industrial and domestic use dependent on a single water source — Angat Dam," Velasco said. Angat Dam, constructed in 1967 and operationalized the following year, recently underwent massive rehabilitation to ensure its structural integrity in case of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Being the source of 97 percent of raw water for Metro Manila and neighboring provinces, destruction of Angat Dam would greatly affect energy, food and water supply. Right now, MWSS are pursuing water infrastructure projects that will reduce the capital's reliance on Angat Dam. Being fast-tracked under the new water security roadmap are the following projects: 150 million liters per day (MLD) Putatan (2019); 100 MLD Cardona (2019); 188 MLD Sumag (2020); 50 MLD Rizal Wellfield (2020); 80 MLD Calawis Wawa (2021); 100 MLD Putatan 3 (2022); and 250 MLD Lower Ipo. These, aside from the 600 MLD Kaliwa Dam projects whose implementation was began in 2017 and is expected to be completed in 2023.