MAYNILAD WATER Services, Inc. said it had spent around P23.3 billion in expanding its sewerage coverage to reach 20% of its Metro Manila west zone coverage area as of end-2018 from only 6% in 2007 when it took over the water concession from the government.
“Increasing sewerage coverage by just one percent requires an average investment of about P1.6 billion, so the level of investment to enhance the wastewater infrastructure is huge. Nevertheless, this is something we have to do to ensure environmental sustainability,” said Maynilad President and Chief Executive Officer Ramoncito S. Fernandez in a statement during the weekend.
The investment went into the construction of new wastewater treatment facilities and rehabilitation of existing ones, acquisition of new vacuum trucks for septic tank cleaning, and installation of new sewer lines, among others, the company said.
“We have a road map towards the attainment of 100% coverage by the end of the concession period, and we are working with our government partners to facilitate completion of our sewerage projects despite right-of-way conflicts, permit issuance delays, and lot acquisition issues,” Mr. Fernandez said.
Maynilad operates 19 sewage treatment plants, two sewage and septage treatment plants, and one septage treatment plant with a combined treatment capacity of an estimated 662,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day.
Maynilad, the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base, said it is building additional wastewater treatment facilities in Valenzuela, Cavite City, and Tunasan and Cupang in Muntinlupa.
Once completed in 2020, Maynilad will be able to increase sewerage coverage in the west zone to 26%, it said.
“Meanwhile, areas that are not connected to Maynilad’s sewer network are being provided septic tank cleaning services,” the company said.
Maynilad serves certain portions of the cities of Manila, Quezon and Makati. It also covers Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon in Metro Manila.
Outside the Philippine capital, it serves the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite province.
Maynilad is an agent and contractor of state agency Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System for the west zone of the greater Manila area.
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 BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Victor V. Saulon
