Upper Wawa Dam shortlisted for prestigious Global Water Awards recognition

The 710 million liters a day (MLD) Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project-Upper Wawa Dam has been shortlisted for the Water Project of the Year category at the prestigious Global Water Awards (GWA), Manila Water Company Inc. said Tuesday.

In a news release, Manila Water said the Upper Wawa Dam is a major infrastructure development designed to strengthen water security for the East Zone of Metro Manila and the province of Rizal.

The project, commissioned on December 31, 2025, has a capacity to deliver up to 710 million liters of water per day, making it the largest water supply dam built in the Philippines in over 50 years and the country’s largest private-led bulk water supply project.

Manila Water said the project augments supply for approximately 3.5 million people, reducing decades?long reliance on a single water source.

Upper Wawa Dam’s shortlisting at the GWA, the company said, places the Philippines at the forefront of international excellence in large-scale water infrastructure and climate?resilient development.

Organized annually by leading industry publication Global Water Intelligence, the Global Water Awards recognize the most outstanding achievements in the international water sector, it said.

Manila Water said the awards honor projects, companies, and technologies that deliver transformative impact, innovation, and long-term sustainability in addressing global water challenges.

The Upper Wawa Dam was developed under a tripartite agreement among WawaJVCo Inc., Manila Water, Inc., and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

Manila Water said the dam’s 120?million?cubic?meter reservoir and 262?square?kilometer watershed enable the capture of excess rainfall during extreme weather events, significantly reducing downstream flood risk.

“Voting for the Global Water Awards is now officially open to Global Water Intelligence (GWI) members until 26 April 2026,” it said.

Manila Water called on industry peers, partners, and members of the global water community who are eligible to participate in the voting process to support the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project-Upper Wawa Dam in the Water Project of the Year category. — BAP, GMA News