MORE THAN 32,000 additional customers were connected by west zone water concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. to its sewerage system from January 2019 to August 2020.
In a statement on Thursday, the water provider said it had connected households and establishments situated along waterways that drain into Manila Bay.
“The campaign to convince more customers to connect to the existing sewer network is in support of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),” Maynilad said.
The water concessionaire has also conducted septic tank cleaning activities for around 1.6 million customers spanning from north Caloocan up to Cavite. Since 2019, the water company said its cleaning efforts had collected and treated 317,000 cubic meters of septage.
Maynilad Chief Operating Officer Randolph T. Estrellado encouraged the company’s customers to connect to its sewer lines or apply to have their septic tanks cleaned.
“Doing so will help protect our environment, as well as the health of our families and communities,” Mr. Estrellado said.
The water provider offers septic tank cleaning services every five to seven years at no added costs to its residential and semi-business customers in unsewered areas.
Meanwhile, customers in sewered areas are urged to apply for a sewer connection from Maynilad so that wastewater can go directly to the company’s sewage treatment plants.
Maynilad provides water for areas in the west zone of the National Capital Region such as Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas, Malabon, Manila, Makati, and Quezon City; and parts of Cavite province such as Bacoor, Imus, Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario.
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. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
