MWSS slaps hefty penalty on Maynilad for interrupted services

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System ordered Maynilad Water Services Inc. on Tuesday to refund customers hampered by service disruptions from the utility’s Putatan Water Treatment Plants. 

The MWSS Regulatory Office slapped the water utility with a hefty penalty of P27.477 million since customers covered by the Putatan Water Treatment Plants experienced interrupted services from December 2022 to January 2023.

Even then, the exact amount tol be refunded has yet to be determined since the MWSS is still verifying the total number of affected customers. Rebate details will be announced at the end of January, according to MWSS.

The regulator said Maynilad customers were deprived of “uninterrupted 24-hour water service.” 

Maynilad is run by a joint venture between Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), DMCI Holdings, Inc. (DMCI) and Marubeni Corp.

Maynilad, for its part, said in a statement that maintenance activities are being undertaken in the treatment facility located in Muntinlupa City. 

“We are working round-the-clock to fully restore water service at the soonest possible time. Our mobile water tankers continue to do the rounds of affected areas meantime,” the utility provider said in a statement. 

Maynilad noted that the 300 million liters per day output from the Putatan Water Treatment plants is “just enough for the current requirements of our customers in the south; hence, any reduction owing to maintenance activities or other causes are immediately felt by customers.”

“To address this, we are constructing a new treatment plant in Poblacion, Muntinlupa. Targeted for completion by yearend, this facility is designed to produce 150 MLD of additional supply that will help to reduce service disruptions,” the utility provider added.