Manila Water embarks on service improvement

MANILA Water has embarked on a P181-billion service improvement program that is expected to allow the firm get water from other resources as part of preparations for increased demand during summer.

Dittie Galang, head of corporate communications of Manila Water, told The Manila Times that this was part of a five-year program.

“It is a general plan of Manila Water for the next five years and beyond. Because every year we prepare for the increase of water demand during summer,” she said.

The P181-billion service improvement plan of East Zone concessionaire Manila Water will be anchored on sustainability that aligns with the thrust of the government to build more infrastructure that are climate resilient, support conservation and reduce risks brought about by disasters.

Included in Manila Water’s Service Improvement Plan, which will be implemented from 2023 to 2027, are the construction of new water sources and needed infrastructure and the rehabilitation of existing facilities.

Metro Manila is dependent on Angat Dam for 95 percent of its water needs, Manila Water said it understood the need to look for other water sources to guarantee 24/7 supply to customers.

Manila Water has developed a 4-Water System Master Plan: the Angat-La Mesa Water System that involves diverting raw water from Sumag River in Quezon to the Angat Reservoir and rehabilitating the Umiray Angat Transbasin; the Laguna Lake Water System that involves the East Bay Water Supply System Project Phase 1 and 2, which will tap Laguna Lake as source of additional 50 million liters of water per day (MLD) for the municipalities of Jalajala, Baras, Morong, Cardona and Binangonan in Rizal; the construction of WawaCalawis Water Supply System, which will bring additional 518 MLD of water for Manila Water customers in Antipolo City, Teresa and Baras; and the East Sources Water System, which includes the Kaliwa Water Supply Project and other long-eerm East sources.

The firm will also rehabilitate, retrofit and improve its existing water treatment plants, package treatment plants, pump stations, reservoirs, aged primary pipelines, and pipe bridges and lay more reliable distribution lines.

“All these projects have integrated innovations in disaster resiliency in its design and construction. Similar with the government’s views on the future of the infrastructure sector in the Philippines, Manila Water recognizes the need for investing in infrastructure to ensure viable and reliable service to the public despite the inevitable challenges we are facing such as population increase, climate change and disaster vulnerability,” Jocot de Dios, Manila Water president and chief executive officer, said.