MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. is targeting to add at least 14,000 customers to the sewerage system this year as it installs around 2,000 new sewer service connections in Manila.

In a statement on Monday, the west zone water provider said the new sewer lines will further expand Maynilad’s existing sewerage system, which catches wastewater generated by customers and conveys it to sewage treatment plants (STP) for treatment.

“Despite restrictions brought on by the quarantine, we are resuming our sewer line installation activities so we can expedite the expansion of our wastewater infrastructure,” said Maynilad Chief Operating Officer Randolph T. Estrellado.

Since 2007, Maynilad has invested more than P40 billion into wastewater projects, bringing its current wastewater infrastructure to 22 treatment facilities (from only two STPs in 1997), 606 kilometers of sewer lines, and 102 wastewater pumping/lift stations.

Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base. It is the agent and contractor of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System for the west zone of the greater Manila area.

It serves the cities of Manila (certain portions), Quezon City (certain portions), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon, all in Metro Manila; 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 interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.