Manila Water completes initial phase of Balara quake-proofing

MANILA, Philippines - Water concessionaire Manila Water Co. Inc. (WMC) has completed the initial phase of the P110-million quake-proofing project for its Balara treatment plants.

The seismic retrofitting for the Balara Treatment Plants 1 and 2 is part of MWC’s Natural calamity Mitigation Program to ensure that the facilities could withstand a 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

The Balara Treatment Plants 1 and 2 were built in 1935 and 1968, respectively. These facilities filter water from Angat, Ipo and La Mesa dams from its raw state to potable drinking water.

The plants have a combined treatment capacity of 1, 600 million liters per day, supplying water to 95 percent of the East Zone concession area.

The seismic retrofitting project, which lasted for a year, was conducted while the plants remained operational.

MWC director for the Project Delivery Group Tom Mattison said the project is an “important first phase” for the Balara treatment plant seismic upgrade and a key part of the company-wide disaster preparedness and natural disaster mitigation program covering all operational facilities.

“It’s vital for Manila Water to guarantee the performance, reliability and efficiency of all our facilities so we can  continue delivering our water supply and waste water services even during and after major disasters,” he said.

MWC is the  concessionaire of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System providing water and wastewater services to more than 6.2 million residents in portions of Quezon City and Manila, Marikina, Pasig, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Pateros, Makati, Taguig and several towns in Rizal province.

MWC is currently challenging before the International Chamber of Commerce the rate reduction recently implemented by the MWSS.

The company registered a nine percent growth in its net earnings for the first nine months of the year on higher billed volume and lower operating expenses.