Maynilad allots P239M for pipelines in Cavite
MAYNILAD WATER Services, Inc. has allotted P239 million for a pipe-laying project in two cities in Cavite that will connect around 23,000 new customers in the province to the west zone water concessionaire’s distribution network.
“Maynilad is aggressive in its efforts to provide potable and reliable water supply to the still-unserved residents in our concession area. With this recent investment in new pipelines in Cavite, we will be able to sustain our expansion in the province,” said Ramoncito S. Fernandez, Maynilad president and chief executive officer in statement on Thursday.
The project covers laying 12 kilometers of primary and secondary lines along Daang Hari Road from the intersection of Molino Road to Pasong Buaya 1 Road, the company said. It expected to be completed in the last week of October 2017.
Once completed, the pipes will serve residents of Barangays Molino III and IV and Pasong Buaya I and II with 24-hour potable water at 16 pounds per square inch (psi), a water pressure that is strong enough to reach the third storey of a structure without the aid of a booster pump.
The funding for the project forms part of Maynilad’s P13.3-billion capital expenditure program for 2017, of which P7.5 billion has been allocated for water infrastructure.
Maynilad said the residents who will benefit from the pipe-laying project used to rely heavily on deep wells and shallow wells for their daily water needs.
“With this connection to surface water from Maynilad, over-extraction of groundwater in Cavite can be averted,” it said.
“Over-extraction of groundwater has negative environmental consequences, such as land sinking and saltwater intrusion into water tables. Moreover, various health risks have been associated with the prolonged use of untreated water from deep wells,” it added.
Maynilad, the country’s largest water concessionaire in terms of customers, is an agent and contractor of the government agency Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.
Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which has 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 interest in through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. —