CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is fast-tracking the completion of two water impounding facilities along the Malolos section of the Manila North Road (MNR) or MacArthur Highway.
DPWH Maintenance Division Officer-in-Charge Jaime Hernandez said the facilities, which are located in the southbound lane in barangays Bulihan and Sumapang Matanda, aim to store 1,917 cubic meters or approximately 1.9 million liters of rainwater.
Each measures three meters in length and three meters in height, or equivalent to 10 feet in depth.
The sites were chosen for their strategic location near major waterways. The Bulihan facility is adjacent to the Bulihan river, where the DPWH has upgraded the bridge and the Provincial Government of Bulacan has dredged the river to increase its water capacity, while the second one is near the Dakila river.
Hernandez pointed out that the facilities serve as an innovative approach to conserve millions of liters of water for various purposes, such as supplying water to fire trucks of the local government, and for street landscape maintenance and regular cleaning of different assets and facilities.
Malolos City Mayor Christian D. Natividad cited the projected impact of the Water Impounding Project in improving the efficiency of government spending.
“Instead of procuring raw water for domestic use or agricultural irrigation, the city government will help in building a water treatment facility to complement the water impounding facility of the DPWH,” he said.
The treated water will be managed by the City of Malolos Water District to help meet the city’s daily demand of 38 million liters.
Currently, the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project supplies only 35 million liters per day, resulting in a 3-million liter shortfall.
Other water impounding projects are also planned near the Malolos City Public Market and the City of Malolos Integrated School-Sto. Rosario Campus, formerly Malolos Central School.
The two ongoing facilities are targeted for completion in the first quarter of 2026, and are now 56 percent complete. Each has a budget of P138 million, funded by the 2025 General Appropriation Act.
DPWH has proposed an additional P150 million per facility for funding under the 2026 National ExpenditureProgram to further enhance their capacity.
The construction of water impounding facilities in flood-prone areas across the country is a priority infrastructure undertaking identified in the past State of the Nation Addresses (SONAs) of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
