Malabon opens 2 new pumping stations

(UPDATE) FLOODING in Malabon City's two flood-prone villages is expected to ease with the opening of two pumping station projects worth P26.6 million, Mayor Jeannie Sandoval said on Sunday. Sandoval said the Sto. Rosario II pumping station is located in Barangay Baritan, while the Dulong Adante pumping station is in Barangay Tañong. "These are [part of] additional pumping stations that we would continue to build in strategic areas in the city as part of the local government's flood-mitigation measures for the safety of Malabueños during typhoons and high tide," she told the Manila Times via Viber. The pumping stations have a capacity of 0.3 cubic meters per second (volume of water being pumped out during operating hours) and will operate every six hours, with one hour of idle time. City Administrator Alexander Rosete said that the two new pumps will be more efficient than the mechanical ones that can only pump out 0.1 cubic meters per second, and operate for three hours, with two hours of idle time. Rosete said the city government allocated P9,990,475 for the Baritan pumping station, which has an 18,377 square meter catchment area that could serve around 1,000 residents in the barangay. Meanwhile, the city spent P16,627,238 for the Tañong pumping station, which has a 19,917 square meter catchment area, benefitting over 500 residents, he added. Sandoval and Rosete thanked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for the timely repair of the navigational floodgate of the Malabon-Navotas River, which was damaged by a vessel while being towed by tugboats in July. Malabon has a total of 55 pumping stations including those built by MMDA and DPWH, Rosete said.