Maynilad’s service areas to still experience water interruptions

CUSTOMERS in areas served by Maynilad Water Services, Inc. will continue to experience water service interruptions as supply remains inadequate, a company official said.

“Right now, we’re only getting around 2,150 million liters per day (MLD) at the Novaliches portal. We should be getting 2,400 MLD because at that volume, we won’t have service interruptions,” Jennifer C. Rufo, head of Maynilad’s corporate communications, said in a Viber message on Saturday.

Ms. Rufo said the issue right now is not so much the demand but the availability of adequate supply.

She added that the current production of Maynilad’s treatment plants in the south is at 230 MLD, or higher than the previous weeks’ when raw water at Laguna Lake had higher turbidity levels.

“But it’s still lower than the ideal 280-300 MLD because we’re still intensifying the cleaning of our facilities’ filters following the prolonged high turbidity episode at Laguna Lake,” she said, adding that the target is to revert to normal output by mid-April.

On Friday, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) raised the water allocation for the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to 50 cubic meters per second (CMS) from the current 48 CMS from April 1 to 15, 2023.

“NWRB did not grant the request of Maynilad through the MWSS that the allocation be increased to 52 CMS,” Maynilad said in a separate statement issued on Friday.

Leonor C. Cleofas, MWSS administrator, told BusinessWorld by phone on Sunday that the allocation granted by the NWRB will allow the La Mesa and Ipo dams to recover and support the water supply needs of Metro Manila.

Ms. Cleofas said that MWSS had directed Maynilad to maximize the production of its Putatan water treatment plants.

“At 50 CMS, we expect that the volume of raw water flowing to the Novaliches portal in Quezon City will still be at reduced levels. Given this, the current daily water service interruptions will remain in place, but the interruption schedules to be implemented starting April 1, 2023 have been adjusted to account for the full suspension of the cross-portal sharing arrangement between Maynilad and Manila Water,” Maynilad said.

Ms. Cleofas said that Maynilad had been directed to schedule water service interruptions only at night.

However, Ms. Rufo said that Maynilad cannot limit interruptions to nighttime with its current allocation.

Meanwhile, Ms. Cleofas reiterated that despite the current water service interruptions, water supply remains sufficient.

She added that MWSS and Maynilad are expected to meet on Monday to discuss and monitor the current water supply and demand situation.

Asked whether MWSS will impose fines on Maynilad, Ms. Cleofas said: “It’s the regulatory office, they are looking at it.”

Maynilad, a concessionaire of the MWSS, serves the cities of Manila, except portions of San Andres and Sta. Ana. It also operates in Quezon City, Makati, Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas, and Malabon.

It serves the cities of Cavite, Bacoor, and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario in Cavite province.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which has a majority stake in Maynilad, is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc. 

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Ashley Erika O. Jose