THE P7.9-billion upgrade of La Mesa treatment plants 1 and 2 in Quezon City are almost complete after quarantine restrictions have been eased by the National Government, according to west zone water concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc.
Maynilad said the upgrades in the treatment plants include increasing the capacity of its facilities to treat higher raw water turbidity, retrofitting of structures for better resilience from earthquakes, and automating processes.
According to the water provider, the two treatment plants produce 2,400 million liters of water daily and serve around 90% of its 9.7 million customers.
“Completion of this project is essential to ensuring water service reliability for our customers, given the challenges posed by increasingly variable raw water quality from Angat Dam,” Maynilad Chief Operating Officer Randolph T. Estrellado said.
Maynilad said the upgrade to the treatment plants started in 2017 and was done in phases so that the company’s facilities can operate without interrupting water service for customers.
As part of its road map to address water security challenges, Maynilad said it plans to construct new treatment facilities, pumping stations and reservoirs, perform pipe replacements and leak repairs, and develop small alternative raw water sources.
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 D. Ochave
