SUEZ and partners commence construction of Philippines' largest seawater desalination plant in Metro Iloilo
ILOILO CITY, Philippines, April 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SUEZ, a global leader in environmental services, and JEMCO, a premier construction company in the Philippines, together with Metro Pacific Water, a key water and wastewater infrastructure investor fully-owned by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), commenced the construction of a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination facility in Metro Iloilo— the largest of its kind in the Philippines. Slated to be completed in 24 months, this project will help address the critical shortage of drinking water in the region, supplying sustainable and reliable potable water to local communities.
The existing fresh water sources in Metro Iloilo have become severely strained and are no longer capable of meeting the increasing demand of the region. This situation has been exacerbated by seasonal fluctuations in rainfall, disrupting the replenishment of these finite water supplies, revealing the urgent need to identify and develop alternative sources of water to ensure the long-term sustainability of the region.
To tackle the region's shortage of potable water, Metro Pacific Water awarded to SUEZ and JEMCO a project to design, build and operate a seawater reverse osmosis desalination facility. The SWRO desalination plant will have an estimated production capacity of 66,500 cubic meters per day, with over 97% of which to be supplied to the residents as drinking water, benefiting approximately 50,000 households. The remaining part will be used for the production of demineralised water to support the operation of the adjacent power plant.
As a leader of circular solutions for water and waste services for more than 160 years, SUEZ has 50 years of experience in seawater desalination, with over 260 desalination plants designed and built worldwide. This plant will incorporate SUEZ's flagship technologies, such as the SeaDAF™ Filter which combines the dissolved air flotation technology and dual media gravity filter to treat seawater and remove algae, turbidity, suspended solids, and colloidal particles to reach a quality suitable to feed to the reverse osmosis membranes. Its compact design makes it suitable for installations where space is a premium.
A testimony to the strong partnership between SUEZ and JEMCO, this is the second project that the two entities have worked on together, with the first being a key water reclamation facility in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila. SUEZ has a strong presence in the Philippines with a well-established local engineering platform and a professional team of local talents. The collaboration will leverage SUEZ's expertise and technologies in seawater desalination, and benefit from the strong local experience and construction capabilities of JEMCO.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said: "This exceptional initiative seeks to ensure a consistent and reliable supply of potable water for Ilonggos, enhancing their quality of life while bolstering Iloilo's infrastructure and driving economic growth."
Christopher Andrew B. Pangilinan, CEO and President of Metro Pacific Water said: "MPW's commitment to providing sustainable water solutions is at the heart of this project. It underscores our dedication to supporting Iloilo's rapid growth and development. This innovative and sustainable desalination facility will provide a long-term solution to the water challenges of Iloilo."
Augusto F. Manalo, President & CEO of JEMCO noted: "The large-scale Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) plant in Metro Iloilo is of vital importance to the region and one which would mark a major milestone to be the largest plant of its kind in the Philippines. We thank the Metro Pacific Water Investment Corporation for this opportunity to be able to deliver this critical infrastructure project. We are proud to be partnering once more with SUEZ, one of the world's leading provider of solutions for sustainable management of resources. It has always been JEMCO's mission to be a major contributor to nation building and we believe that being part of a project such as this further reinforces our drive to be true to our mission."
Pierre Pauliac, Co-CEO of SUEZ and Chief Operating Officer Water said: "Given the critical water situation in the region, we are determined to secure a stable and reliable water supply for our customers by leveraging our 50 years of experience and technological know-how in seawater desalination worldwide. This collaboration is a testament to the trust our partners and clients place in us, and a new step in SUEZ's expansion in Southeast Asia."
About SUEZ:
Faced with growing environmental challenges, SUEZ has been delivering essential services that protect and improve our quality of life for more than 160 years. SUEZ provides its customers with innovative and resilient solutions for water and waste services. With 40,000 employees across 40 countries, the Group works with customers to create value over the full lifecycle of their assets and services, and to drive their low carbon transition. In 2023, SUEZ provided drinking water for 57 million people worldwide and sanitation services for more than 36 million people. The Group generated 7.7 TWh of energy from waste and wastewater. In 2023, SUEZ generated revenues of 8.9 billion euros. For more information: www.suez.com / X @suez / LinkedIn @SUEZ.
In Asia, SUEZ's journey began some 70 years ago, first in Southeast Asia before expanding to China 50 years ago. With 6,500+ employees across Asia, SUEZ has built over 600 water and wastewater treatment plants. Together with our local partners, we also provide water and waste recycling and recovery services to 25+ million people and 22 industrial parks across the region. SUEZ is recognized as one of the most influential companies in China and a service benchmark for leading Asia's environmental industry. Today, SUEZ works with municipal and industrial customers in more than 30 major cities and regions across China, manages China's first PPP water contract in Macao, operates one of Asia's largest hazardous waste incineration facilities in Shanghai, and has invested over RMB 6 billion in Chongqing.
SOURCE SUEZ Asia
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