HISTORY OF SAN PABLOS PIPED WATER SYSTEM

1912: Malvar Water Works

The first piped water system for San

Pablo was initiated in 1912 by the late Hon.
Potenciano Malvar, then Governor of Laguna,
when he enlisted the services of experts to
conduct a feasibility study of tapping Cabunsod
Spring to supply thru gravity pipeline potable
water to the 8000 residents of San Pablo ,
which was only a municipality then. The same Intake box of Cabunsod Spring
spring, which is about six kilometers away from
the poblacion, had been used by Spanish friars thru a system of canals some 60 to 80 years
earlier. But, it was not until June 1914 when contract for materials was awarded to Atlantic
Gulf and Pacific Company which had the lowest bid of Php 57,017.77 1/2. Construction of the
Cabunsod gate house (intake box) and a regulating tower at the highest point of a hill just
outside the town, together with the pipe laying was done by administration at a cost of
Php17,000.00 Due to delay in shipment, however, the project was not completed until the last
quarter of 1915. The municipality, and later the city (San Pablo was chartered into a city in May
7, 1940) administered the original water system until 1955.

1950s-Early 70s : NAWASA

After Cabunsod Spring however,

additional water sources for San Pablo
were not developed until the early 1960s,
when Malabanban and Lubigan Springs
were tapped by the National Waterworks
and Sewerage Administration (NAWASA).
Under NAWASA, Cabunsod was also
rehabilitated. These developments
provided the city with more than 10,000
cubic meters of water daily, but this was not
adequate to cope with the demand of the growing population and expanding economy of the
city. In 1971 NAWASA was dissolved and this paved the way for the return of the control of the
water system to the local government. This water system was eventually turned over to San
Pablo City Water District which assumed complete control and administration in order to
guarantee continuous maintenance and development.
1974 - Present : San Pablo City Water District

SAN PABLO CITY WATER DISTRICT PROFILE

Vision

We continuously strive to be recognized as the best water service

provider in the country.
San Pablo City was among the first six provincial
cities included in the engineering and feasibility studies
on local water systems conducted by Wilson-
Montgomery Consulting Engineers, Inc., a firm based in
California, U.S.A. which was contracted by the
Philippine Government not only to perform the earlier
started task but also to lay-out the blue print for the
development of a national plan for locally controlled
water systems.

Pursuant to the provisions of PD 198 and based

on the Wilson- Montgomery Feasibility Study (1973),
the Municipal Board of San Pablo City, through the
initiation of then City Mayor Cesar P. Dizon, passed on
December 17, 1973 after series of public consultation
and hearing Resolution 309. This created San Pablo
City Water District (SPCWD) which assumed sole control
and administration of the citys water system including
its 5,614 service connections. SPCWD was formally
organized on January 1, 1974 and was granted its
Conditional Certificate of Conformance (CCC No.04) by
LWUA on March 19, 1974.

Consequently, with LWUA facilitating a Php26-M loan funded by the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID), construction of the Phase 1 of San Pablo City
Water Supply System Improvement/ Expansion Project started on January 19, 1976. This
project, which was undertaken by Filipino Pipes and Foundry, consisted of the following major
components: the development of Malaunod Spring to increase the daily water supply by more
than 8000 cubic meters; rehabilitation of the existing spring sources (Cabunsod, Malabanan and
Lubigan); construction of a ground reinforced concrete reservoir with a storage capacity of
6,620 cubic meters, installation of 57 kilometers of new transmission and distribution pipelines
and 157 fire hydrants; and the construction of a building complex that houses the
administration office, maintenance shop, and laboratory.

The improved water system for the city was inaugurated on July 21, 1979. Soon after,
another spring source was developed. Malamig Spring with a daily rated production capacity of
more than 6000 cubic meters was added to the system in 1986. By that time the total service
connections of SPCWD had risen to more than 11,000 which doubled the total service
connections during the water districts initial year of operation. Meanwhile, the onset of the
90s saw the population of the city rising to more than 160,000 which was a significant increase
from the 1975 figure of 116,607. Sensitive to this
factor, SPCWD began implementing its modified
Phase II-B Project in 1993. Main features of this
project are as follow: development of Balanga
Spring Source; construction of two timbertanks
with a capacity to store 1,700 cubic meters each;
and pipe laying of transmission pipes from Medex
Subdivision in Brgy. San Francisco to Brgy. San
Cristobal, which included three bridge crossings.

Under normal conditions the Balanga

Spring Source, which was put in service in 1996,
can provide approximately 10,000 cubic meters of
water daily. The additional source enabled SPCWD
in the same year to expand its network to 1,732 new service connections raising the total
number of connections to almost 20,000. The total cost of the above mentioned developments
is more than Php40-M. In 1998, however, the resilience of SPCWD was tested as the production
of its six spring sources with a total rated capacity of 36,115 cubic meters daily plummeted by
almost 50% as an aftermath of the severe El Nio episode of 1997-98. The water supply of
some areas, particularly those in the poblacion and barangays with higher elevations, was
limited to only two to four hours daily. To this trial SPCWD responded by constructing five
production wells in strategic locations. These production wells are located in Brgy. San Marcos,
Brgy. San Pedro, Brgy. Sto Angel, San Pablo City Central School, and in the SPCWD office
compound at Maharlika Highway. The total capacity of these production wells is 7,920 cubic
meters daily.

By 2007 the population of San Pablo City reached 237,259 (NSO census). In the same
year SPCWD began expanding its service to cover eight (8) barangay namely: San Miguel, San
Bartolome, Sta. Cruz (Putol), Sta. Ana, San Joaquin, San Antonio 1, San Antonio 2, Sta. Veronica.
With these expansions SPCWD widened its service coverage to 72 of the 80 barangay of the
city.

By the end of 2010 the total number of active connections served by the water district
stood at 31,107 of which 28,950 were residential or domestic connections. The estimated
population served was 144,750 or 58% of the total population of 248,890 (based on NSO 2010
Census). This also represented 64% of the population within the service area estimated at
226,735.

In 2010 the average daily per capita consumption of residential users was 180 liters or
an average monthly consumption of 27 cubic meters per household connection with five (5)
members. In the same year, the average total daily production of the six (6) spring sources and
12 production wells of the water district, together with the additional daily supply of 5,000
cubic meters from its Bulk Water Agreement with SIG Construction and Industrial Corp., which
tapped and developed Lagaslasan and Baloc Springs was 45,295.44 cubic meters. Production
data is gathered through the use of flow meters installed in all sources.

In 2012 SPCWD set another service milestone. From mid-2011 to the first two quarters
of 2012 it extended its distribution network to the following Barangay: Soledad, Sta. Maria,
Santisimo Rosario, San Isidro, Bautista, Santiago 1, and Santiago 2. With only one barangay
leftBrgy. Atisanof the 80 barangay of the City covered by its service, San Pablo City Water
District is at the threshold of achieving 100% service coverage of its franchise area.
 Celebrating its 43rd anniversary this year (2017), San Pablo City Water District is more
than ever dedicated to achieving its goal: Malinis na tubig sa bawat tahananSerbisyo na
aming gagampanan.

San Pablo City Water District has been the recipient of the following awards:

Most Efficient Management

Control Practices
2nd Highest Operational
Performance
Highest Collection Efficiency
Most Outstanding Veteran
Water District (1981-1983)
Hall of Famer
Godfather Water District

Mission

The San Pablo City Water District, a corporation duly organized under PD198 (as
amended) is tasked to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the residents of
San Pablo City by providing potable, adequate and affordable water supply in the entire city
while remaining to be self-reliant and financially viable water district.
 Core Values

S ervice excellence

P rofessionalism

C ommitment

W isdom

D iscipline

As an organization that embraces the pursuit of Service Excellence, SPCWD always aims for
optimum results and quality solutions. It is distinguished by intelligent, values-oriented
decision making and uncompromising workmanship.

SPCWD believes in promoting dignity at work which translates to Professionalism. It

inculcates the value of skill and training, the Importance of productivity and responsibility,
the substance of self-respect and proper decorum.

SPCWD is driven by its Commitment to serve the community. It is steered by its mandate to
provide adequate, safe, and affordable water to the constituents of the City.

SPCWD is continuously evolving. It cannot allow itself to be static. And, in its quest to
perform its mandate it has encountered its share of success and failures too. But what
matters most is its ability to discern through these myriad of experiences, events and
circumstances and not lose sight of its goals. That is Wisdom.

SPCWD adheres to Discipline, the kind that is not coerced but is born out of awareness of
ones role and worth in the organization.