MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) is increasing its efforts to lessen the effects of reduced water allocation to its customers in preparation for the summer months.
Metro Manila’s west zone water provider will optimize its two water treatment facilities located at Barangay Putatan in Muntinlupa. The two water facilities produce 300 million liters of water per day coming from Laguna Lake.
In a statement, Maynilad Chief Operating Officer Randolph T. Estrellado said that higher water consumption is to be expected this summer.
“We have laid out this mitigation plan since last year so we can cushion the impact of the reduced raw water allocation on our customers,” he added.
Moreover, the water concessionaire will reactivate its deep wells, conduct cloud-seeding operations, and deploy modular water treatment plants in Cavite.
In a phone interview, Maynilad Water Supply Operations Head Ronald C. Padua said that cloud-seeding operations could tentatively start by March 9 depending on the weather report from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on whether there are seedable clouds near the dam.
The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) maintained its current water allocation for Metro Manila at 42 cubic meters per second (CMS), lower than the normal allocation of 48 cms.
Mr. Padua confirmed that the current water allocation from the NWRB is seen to remain amid the lowering water levels of Angat Dam.
“So far, the NWRB will maintain the 42 cms it allocates to our company,” he said.
According to the latest data from PAGASA, the level of Angat Dam is at 201.72 meters (m) as of Thursday morning, lower by 0.15 m than Wednesday’s level of 201.87 m.
Mr. Padua urged the public to only use the water they need and exert additional effort to save water.
He also assured that the water distributor is doing everything it can to minimize the adverse effects of reduced water allocation to its customers.
“We appeal to the public to practice responsible use of water and limit their usage only to what they need,” Mr. Padua added.
He said current water interruptions experienced by Maynilad customers would remain as is.
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. — Revin Mikhael Ochave
