Maynilad sets aside P1.14B to upgrade water treatment plants

MAYNILAD WATER SERVICES, Inc. is setting aside P1.14 billion to upgrade its two water treatment plants in Putatan, Muntinlupa City.

In a media release on Thursday, the west zone water concessionaire said the upgrade would include the material and structural reinforcement of the facilities’ existing silt curtain and strengthening of the sludge management system.

Maynilad added that the provision of activated carbon dosing at the intake, and the replacement of all ultrafiltration membranes are among other enhancements.

The intended improvements are in response to the “worsening quality” of the raw water from Laguna Lake, the company said.

“The PWTP (Putatan water treatment plant) upgrades, which Maynilad has been implementing in phases, enabled the company to sustain normal water production since June 2023 despite sudden shifts in the lake water’s quality,” it said.

The previous upgrades led to an improvement in service availability for the company’s customers compared to the previous year, it said. This was when the water production of WTPs would immediately drop following spikes in total dissolved solids, algae proliferation, and the presence of organic and inorganic matter in the lake water.

“We have had to incorporate additional treatment processes at Putatan WTP to handle some quality parameters of Laguna Lake that now occur at levels not seen from recorded prior 10-year experience,” said Randolph T. Estrellado, chief operating officer of Maynilad.

“This investment is essential so we can continue to maximize the lake’s strategic value as a water source for Metro Manila,” he added.

According to Mr. Estrellado, the improvements were aligned with the recommendations of the Public Utility Board, Singapore’s national water agency.

At present, the two treatment plants supply 300 million liters per day (MLD) of potable water to around 1.7 million customers south of Metro Manila.

In August, Maynilad said the construction of the P11-billion WTP located in Poblacion, Muntinlupa was 80% complete and is expected to produce an initial 50 MLD of potable water by December this year.

The treatment plant will be Maynilad’s third facility to tap Laguna Lake as an alternative source of raw water to Angat Dam.

Maynilad serves 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 supplies the cities of Cavite, Bacoor, and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario, all 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 ����ý through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera