Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad) is spending P1.14 billion to upgrade the processes at its Putatan water treatment plants (PWTP) 1 and 2 in Muntinlupa in response to the worsening quality of raw water from Laguna Lake.
The company said the upgrades include the material and structural reinforcement of existing silt curtain, strengthening of the sludge management system, provision of activated carbon dosing at the intake, and replacement of all ultrafiltration membranes, among other enhancements.
Maynilad said the upgrades pursued in phases, helped the company sustain normal water production since June 2023 despite sudden shifts in lake water quality.
The upgrades also improved customer service availability in the south from previous year when water production at the plants would immediately drop following spikes in dissolved solids, algae proliferation and presence of organic and inorganic matter in lake water.
“We have had to incorporate additional treatment processes at Putatan WTP to handle some quality parameters of Laguna Lake that now occur at levels not seen from recorded prior ten-year experience. This investment is essential so we can continue to maximize the lake’s strategic value as a water source for Metro Manila,” said Randolph Estrellado, Maynilad chief operating officer.
Maynilad’s PWTP 1 and 2 are the largest membrane-based water treatment plants in the Philippines and the first to use Laguna Lake as an alternate source to Angat Dam.
Maynilad is constructing another 150 million liters-per-day treatment plant in Poblacion, Muntinlupa City, its third facility to tap Laguna Lake as source.
The WTPs are deemed vital parts of Maynilad’s plan to develop sources of water to enhance service reliability for customers and promote water security.
