Manila Water maintains a significant level of its capital expenditure (CAPEX) for its water and wastewater projects in the next five years. The focus of these P105-billion worth of CAPEX projects remains to be water supply security, service continuity, and wastewater coverage expansion.
WD News: Following the official declaration of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on the warmer and drier season ahead, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. recently admitted that the Philippines is experiencing water crisis.
Manila Water – Metro Manila’s East Zone concessionaire – is assuring its customers that it will continue to provide uninterrupted, 24/7 water services.
“This is part of our initiatives toward ensuring water security. From day one, it has become our mission to ensure that our customers continue to receive 24/7 water services, especially during the summer season where demand normally spikes by 15% due to higher temperatures,” said Manila Water president and CEO Jocot de Dios.
Another challenge, PAGASA also announced the end of La Niña with 80% probability of El Niño expected later this year.
Manila Water has put in place its water supply contingency and augmentation plan while working and coordinating closely with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) to help ensure that customers will experience continuous water supply even during peak demand periods.
These contingencies include the maximisation of the 100 million-litre-per-day (MLD) capacity of the Cardona Water Treatment Plant, which draws water from the central portion of Laguna Lake; operation of standby deep wells, which can provide additional 115 MLD; and operation of the 15- to-20-MLD Marikina Portable Water Treatment Plant, which will draw and can treat water from the Marikina River.
De Dios also affirmed that Manila Water continues to support and work with MWSS for the development and implementation of short- to long-term projects to ensure sustainability of future water supply which include the Calawis Antipolo Water Source System and the East Bay Water Supply Project, which will source water from the eastern flank of Laguna Lake.
Other projects being eyed as medium-to long-term water sources aside from harnessing Laguna Lake include the New Wawa Dam Project in Rizal Province, the Kaliwa Dam Project and the Kaliwa River Project, which will harness water from Kaliwa River downstream of Quezon Province.
Further, the MWSS project for the construction of the new 15-kilometres aqueduct and 6.4- kilometre tunnel has been completed. It will ensure 1,600 MLD to flow towards La Mesa Dam, optimising the flow of excess water from Ipo to La Mesa Dam.
Source & image courtesy: Manila Water
