Maynilad launches P14-B build up

Maynilad Water Services has launched an ambitious three-year P14-billion expansion program aimed at improving services to some 7.4 million residents in the western side of the metropolis.

The program, which also seeks to stave off annual losses due to leaks and pilferage estimated at P5-billion, will also feature an aggressive campaign to prosecute water pilferage syndicates.

"Our target is to provide 100-percent, 24-hour water service to our customers by the year 2011," said Rafael Alunan III, company president. Alunan said the firm has linked up with the Department of Justice to form a special task force against water pilferage syndicates and other irregularities.

Maynilad -- a consortium of the Lopez group and the French Suez Lyonnaise Des Eaux -- assumed control of the government's water and waste water services in Metro Manila's western zone when the Ramos administration privatized the state-run Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) in 1997.

The east zone was awarded to Manila Water Corp., a consortium of the Ayala Corp., United Utilities and Bechtel Enterprises.

The west zone -- dubbed as the world's largest water project -- covers eight cities and eight municipalities and assumes responsibility over Asia's oldest waterworks, which dates back to 1878.

Maynilad's rehabilitation and expansion program, which spans 25 years, requires an investment of $4 billion (P180-billion).

According to Alunan, little progress has been achieved since privatization because of numerous delays and creditors have expressed concern over its completion as scheduled.

The three-year expansion program alone involves the construction of a 1,000-kilometer new pipeline network, installation of 200,000 new connections and pumping stations and the rehabilitation of water and sewerage facilities.

Yesterday, the company president, accompanied by Ybes Borries, representative of the project's French partner to Maynilad's management committee, signed a memorandum of agreement with Quezon City Mayor Ismael Mathay Jr. for the speedy implementation of the program in the city.

This year, Maynilad is spending P3-billion to replace more than 70 kilometers of dilapidated pipelines and 40,000 service connections, 1000 valves and 600 fire hydrants and install 200,000 new service connections. Under the concessionaire agreement, the company is bound to provide an uninterrupted 24-hour supply to its customers by June 30 this year.

"The massive expansion program will mean numerous construction and excavation projects," said Alunan. "We will employ methods that will minimize street excavation in pipe laying such as the use of trench-less technology, to reduce traffic congestion."