CONSUMERS being served by Maynilad Water Services, Inc. are set to experience water interruptions later this month due to a flood control project of the government, the west zone concessionaire said on Monday.
Ronaldo C. Padua, Maynilad water supply operations head, said in a virtual briefing that the water interruption will range from 25 to 85 hours and will begin on Oct. 25 (11 a.m.) up to Oct. 28 (11:59 p.m.).
Affected customers will be those situated in parts of Las Piñas, Makati, Manila, Parañaque, Pasay, as well as parts of Cavite province such as Bacoor, Cavite City, Imus City, Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario.
“Around 28% or 421,000 water service connections (WSC) of Maynilad’s total 1.5 million WSCs will be affected. This involves about 2.9 million customers. Of these, some 60,000 WSCs or around 420,000 customers in Sampaloc, Manila will have no water for three consecutive days,” he added.
Mr. Padua said the interruptions will be caused by the realignment of Maynilad’s existing pipeline along Sobriedad corner Cristobal St. in Sampaloc to give way for the government’s flood control project.
The project under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) involves the installation of a drainage line along Cristobal St. It aims to address flooding issues in Manila. “The affected pipeline will be cut and will be replaced with a cross-under pipe to allow the drainage line to be installed by the DPWH. Due to the massive size of the affected water pipeline, which is seven feet in diameter, its realignment will take almost four days or 85 hours,” Mr. Padua said.
Further, Mr. Padua said the water concessionaire will conduct other activities such as leak repairs and maintenance works in several pumping stations while the service interruption caused by the pipe realignment is ongoing.
Maynilad will deploy 60 mobile water tankers and install 14 stationary water tanks to serve customers in areas that will experience three straight days of interrupted water service.
It added that local government units and local fire bureaus were tapped to augment the number of water tankers that can deliver water to affected areas.
Maynilad also urged its customers to store enough water for the duration of the water service interruption to reduce inconvenience.
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.
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