MANILA - Households might end up without water supply in the future.

This as San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang on Wednesday expressed disappointment on the negative publicity generated by the food conglomerate’s proposed $1-billion Laiban Dam project.

Ang said the company has put on hold negotiations with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the said project.

“While we remain committed to the project, we are also dismayed by the criticisms tossed against the unsolicited proposal we submitted in February,” he added.

“We don’t want to sign it, since a lot of people are saying it’s bad. We are doing it for the country and yet a lot criticize the project. I also advised not to talk to them [MWSS officials] for the meantime. [Ayaw namin pirmahan. Sabi namin ang daming nagsasabi ng masama eh. Ginagawa namin ’yun para sa bayan eh ang daming sinasabi. Sabi ko huwag na muna mag usap],” Ang said.

Ang said San Miguel is only looking out for the interest of the public when it offered its unsolicited proposal.

“If the public is reasonable, we want to put up the Laiban Dam project to help the country,” said Ang, adding that the company will no longer push through with the project if it will just create more problems and instability for SMC as well as generate negative publicity for the company.

He also clarified that any increase in water rates will be commensurate to the capital needed to provide uninterrupted water supply to the people in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

“Would that still be expensive if water supply is not available?” he asked, adding that a shortage is expected by 2015 or 2016.

Ang also pointed out that the 41-year-old Angat Dam is located within the Marikina fault line. The Angat supplies 97 percent of Metro Manila’s water requirements.

“Be that as it may, we proposed the Laiban Dam help address water security. And if people realize that San Miguel really has to put it up then we will put it up,” said Ang.

The Laiban Dam is expected to add 1,900 million liters per day (MLD) to the water supply of the Metro Manila, which is presently consuming around 4,000 MLD. A shortfall of 1,600 MLD is expected by 2015.