Maynilad: Water supply situation, distribution, challenges and solutions

Water is one of the most important substances on earth. All living things must have water to survive. If there was no water there would be no life on earth.

It is most important that the water which people drink and use for other purposes is clean water. This means that the water must be free of germs and chemicals and be clear.

Recently, members of Mommy Bloggers Philippines visited Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) to understand and know more about the raw water sources, water supply situation, its preparation for summer, how do daily rotational water service interruptions work, when will it end and what can consumers do to help diminish the impact of the reduced raw water allocation. 

Here are some facts about Maynilad:

📌 Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) is the water and wastewater services provider for the West Zone of the Greater Metro Manila area. It is the largest water concessionaire in terms of customer base in the Philippines. 

 📌 Maynilad is managed by DMCI-MPIC Water Company, Inc. which is owned and operated by Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) and DMCI Holdings Inc. (DMCI), and Marubeni Corp. The MPIC-DMCI consortium took control of Maynilad on January 24, 2007. 

 📌 Maynilad’s concession area covers a total of 540 square kilometers. 

 📌 Maynilad operates and maintains 4 water treatment plants, 22 wastewater plants, 36 pumping stations, 32 reservoirs, 28 in-Iine boosters, and has laid 3,137 kilometers of water pipelines since 2007, bringing the total of water pipelines laid to 7,713 kilometers. 

 📌 Maynilad’s customer base has expanded to 1,453,979 service connections or more than 9.7 million people. 

 📌 For this quarter, 59% of Maynilad customers enjoy 24-hour uninterrupted water supply while 46% are provided with water service at a minimum of 7 pounds per square inch (psi) pressure. 

 📌 After launching one of the largest and most ambitious NRW reduction programs in Asia, Maynilad successfully brought down its non-revenue water (NRW) level to 25% by the end of December 2019. 

📌 Maynilad is an agent and contractor of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the West Zone of the Greater Manita Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (certain areas), Quezon City (certain areas), Makati (certain areas), Caloocan, Pasay, Parahaque, Las Pihas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon-all in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario-all in Cavite Province. 

Q& A

Maynilad Tap water potable? Yes. Maynilad has over 1000 water sampling points from Valenzuela to Cavite City. Every month, water smples are collected from these points for physical, chemical and bacteriological examination. This is to ensure that water in the West Zone is potable. 

What causes daily rotational water interruptions? Last June 2019, the NWRB reduced raw water allocation for the MWSS in an effort to preserve the remaining water in Angat Dam, which plunged to below-criticall levels due to scant rainfall. The reduced allocation forced the water concessionaires to implement daily rotational water service interruptions throughout their respective areas.

What causes the delay of supply resumption? These include the volume of withdrawal grom the pipelines as customers start getting water, the topography of an area (low-lying areas feel the supply resumption earlier than those in highly elevated areas)_ and the actual raw water supply that enters Maynilad's treatment plants for the day (lower volumes received means less water for distribution). Since simultaneous withdrawal of water from the pipelines affects water pressure, Maynilad strongly advises consumers to just store enough water that they will need for the duration of a service interruption. Drawing too much water after service resumption will not only prevent the supply from reaching highly elevated and fringe areas, it may also cause the hoarder'swater bill to spike. 

Is water discoloration upon resumption of service normal? Some customers may experience slight water discoloration upon resumption of service. Discoloration is a natural consequence of service interruptions, a stage returning flow of water tends to scrape the mineral deposits from the internal lining of pipes. Consumers are advised to let the water flow out until the supply clears. If discoloration persists, consumers are encouraged to report it to Maynilad for further investigation.

When will the daily rotational water service interruption end? The implementation of daily rotational service interruptions will be in effect for as long aa the raw water allocation given to Maynilad from Angat Dam is below requirement. Per NWRB, reduced allocations will remain in effect until June 2020. Continuous monitoring of Angat and Ipo Dmas are being done to check if the water levels improve enough to raise the allocation. 

What can consumers do to help diminish the impact of the reduced raw water allocation? According to NWRB, if every one of 15 million Filipinos saves four liters of water a day, we can collectively save 60 million liters per day. Such water savings can go a long way in ensuring that water levels in Angat Dam will recover enough gor NWRB to increase allocation for the MWSS.

While Maynilad is doing its part in managing supply, consumers can also help by using water responsibly.

Conserving water is increasingly important these days. Not only is it beneficial for the environment, but it's also useful for saving money in these challenging economic times.

Here are some doable ways to conserve water at home.

1. Turn off the faucet while washing dishes.   

2. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, washing your hands, and shaving.

3. When taking a bath, use dipper from pail instead of running water from shower.

4.  Collect the water you use for rinsing fruits and vegetables, then reuse it to water houseplants.

5. Use pail and dipper instead of sprinklers when watering plants.

6.Teach your children to turn off faucets tightly after each use.

7. When cleaning your sidewalk or driveway, use a broom instead of a hose.

8. Water your plants and lawn early in the morning or late in the afternoon when it’s cooler. Don’t water your plants during windy days or high noon.

9. Collect the water you use for laundry, then reuse it clean the bathroom.

10. Share water conservation tips with friends and neighbors.

Be water conscious.

Share away!

Sapat ang tubig kung responsable ang paggamit!

Mommy Bloggers Philippines x Maynilad