President Marcos graces Maynilad treatment plant opening

MANILA, Philippines — A new water treatment plant designed to process 150 million liters of drinking water per day (MLD) from Laguna Lake has been unveiled in Muntinlupa City.

President Marcos led yesterday the inauguration of Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad)’s P11-billion Poblacion Water Treatment Plant in Muntinlupa City, its third in Metro Manila.

Maynilad said the project is a vital part of its plan to develop alternative sources of water to ensure long-term water security for its customers.

The facility will serve around one million Maynilad customers in Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa and Cavite.

This month, it will initially produce 50 MLD with full operations targeted by the first half of 2024.

Maynilad said the additional water supply would help minimize service interruptions due to raw water quality shifts in Laguna Lake, which have been occurring with more frequency owing to the effects of climate change.

The technologically advanced treatment plant uses a multi-stage process of dissolved air flotation, cloth filter, biological aerated filter, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and chlorination to ensure that the water from Laguna Lake passes the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water of the Department of Health.

The new facility is part of Maynilad’s P220-billion service enhancement program from 2023 to 2027, which aims to promote enhanced water sustainability and climate resiliency.

At present, Maynilad has two treatment plants in Barangay Putatan, Muntinlupa that draw water also from Laguna Lake and produce a combined 300 MLD of water supply for customers in the south.

Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base.

Maynilad concession areas cover large parts of Manila, Quezon City, Makati City, Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon as well as the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario.

In his remarks, President Marcos directed concerned agencies to fast-track water projects to ensure adequate supply for both urban and agricultural areas, with an El Niño-induced dry spell likely to affect parts of the country until the second quarter of next year.

“With the El Niño projected to last until the second quarter of 2024, we must prioritize the repair of water pipes to prevent leakages and the completion of ongoing water supply projects to ensure that we have adequate supply,” he said.

“And so, let us call upon the pertinent (government) agencies to intensify their vigilance in overseeing the construction of water supply facilities, particularly in regions grappling with water scarcity,” he said.

Marcos hailed Maynilad, led by its chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, for the completion of what he described as a “crucial project,” as the country faces challenges posed by the El Niño phenomenon.

“Your collective efforts ensure that we exceed the demands of our people in these trying times,” he said. — Helen Flores