Bohol bulk water clustering steers the water and sanitation project of the province to fit in the spatial development.

In the Bohol Water and Sanitation Project (BWSP) design, phase 1 is Bulk Water Supply and phase 2 is Water Distribution and  Sewerage or Sanitation Systems.

The project’s service area covers Tagbilaran City and 17 municipalities- -Alburquerque, Antequera, Baclayon, Balilihan, Catigbian, Dauis, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Loon, Maribojoc, Panglao, San Isidro, Sevilla, Cortes, Corella and Sikatuna.

In presenting an update of Bohol’s development framework during the Provincial Development Council (PDC) full council meeting on Wednesday, Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) Head John Titus Vistal enumerated three water sources initially identified for development which are the Abatan River, Loboc River, and Bugwak Spring.

Vistal said that “based on the Bohol Integrated Water Supply System Master Plan (2010-2035), there are seven recommended clusters or schemes for bulk water supply.

The Abatan River Cluster will be tapped for an average daily production of 10,179 cubic meters for the benefit of about 70,200 population.

The eight towns in the Abatan River Cluster include Antequera, Balilihan, Catigbian, Corella, Maribojoc, Sagbayan, San Isidro and Sikatuna.

The Loboc 1 River Cluster is projected to produce an average daily output of 61,309 cubic meters, benefiting about 237,400 population.

The cluster covers Tagbilaran City and nine municipalities- -Alburquerque, Baclayon, Dauis, Dimiao, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Panglao, and Valencia.

Loboc 2 River Cluster that is projected to produce an average daily output of 19,612 cubic meters for the benefit of about 124,000 population.

It covers Batuan, Bilar, Carmen, Dagohoy, Pilar, Sevilla, and Sierra-Bullones.

The Manaba River Cluster covers Anda, Candijay, Duero, Garcia-hernandez, Guindulman and Jagna; and is projected to have an average daily production of 18,418 cubic meters for the benefit of about 114,400 population.

Carood River Cluster covers Alicia, Danao, Mabini, San Miguel, and Ubay; and will produce an average daily output of 24,534 cubic meters, benefiting about 147,500 population.

Ipil River Cluster covers Bien Unido, Buenavista, Getafe, Talibon and Trinidad; and will have an average daily production of 29,958 cubic meters, benefiting about 177,700 population.

Inabanga River Cluster covers Inabanga, Clarin, Tubigon, Calape, and Loonl and will have an average daily production of 44,335 cubic meters for the benefit of about 207,400  population.

Phase 2 bulk water supply development covers the municipalities of Alicia, Manini, Candijay, Guindulman, Anda, Sierra-Bullones, Carmen, and Pilar.

Phase 1 covers Catigbian, Balilihan, Loon, Antequera, Loon, Maribojoc, cortes, Corella, Sikatuna, Sevilla, Loboc, Loay, Lila, Tagbilaran City, Panglao, Dauis, Baclayon.

Phase 3 covers Buenavista, Inabanga, Clarin, Tubigon, Sagbayan, and Danao.

The Bohol Bulk Water Supply Development taps Sampilangon River in Catigbian, Moalong River in Loon, Viga and Abatan Rivers in Antequera side, Busay Falls and Loboc River in Loboc, Bugwak Spring and Loboc River in Balilihan.

In the development map, urbanizing centers are identified in Carmen Loon, Jagna, Getafe, and Inabanga; a major urban center in Talibon; and the provincial urban center is Tagbilaran City; while the rest are municipal growth centers.

Asia Foundation funded provided technical assistance in the feasibility study for the Bohol Water and Sanitation (BWS) Project, through Advancing Philippine Competitiveness (COMPETE) Project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), according to PPDO.

The output is labeled as the Supply System Master Plan (BIWSSMP) 2010-2035.

It was designed as a public-private partnership project intended “to provide an efficient urban water supply and sanitation system for western Bohol comprised of Tagbilaran City and 14 adjoining municipalities, namely, Albuquerque, Antequera, Baclayon, Balilihan, Catigbian, Dauis, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Loon, Maribojoc, Panglao, San Isidro, and Sevilla”.

It had been assessed in the feasibility study that “groundwater resources, through wells and springs, in the area are observed to be limited and insufficient to meet the current water demand, let alone the large future demand”.

To address this, the provincial government will tap “the extensive surface water resources in the area through a bulk water supply project that will feed treated water to the individual water service providers in the 15 local government units”.

“There is a also a need to improve the distribution of water to the consumers – residential, commercial, industrial and institutional – by the different water providers in terms of water quality, volume, service reliability, and affordability. It is likewise necessary for these providers to set up an effective sanitation or wastewater disposal system in the Service Area,” according to the study.

Also through the Philippine–Australia Local Governance Development Program, a Bohol Integrated Water Supply Master Plan (2008) was drafted and it covers all 47 municipalities and Tagbilaran City, “identified six river basins as potential sources of bulk water, and evaluated priority water supply projects”.