Manila Water Co. Inc. has been granted a patent for its innovative portable desludger by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, a development that enhances the company’s ability to provide essential sanitation services to remote and hard-to-reach barangays. The new technology will enable Manila Water to offer more efficient septic tank cleaning, particularly in areas with narrow streets or difficult terrains.
The company reported a 10.5 percent increase in septic tank emptying activities, with 129,420 tanks serviced in 2024, compared to 117,075 in 2023. Jeric Sevilla, Manila Water corporate affairs group director, highlighted the significance of the development, saying, “The development of Manila Water’s newly patented portable desludger exemplifies the company’s ongoing commitment to enhancing sanitation services, particularly in underserved communities.”
The portable desludger features a compact design, converting the conventional vacuum tanker into a smaller, 1 cubic meter capacity tank. This allows the device to be mounted on a smaller vehicle that can access locations where larger desludging trucks cannot reach. The portable unit can be connected in series with a 10 cubic meter desludging truck, which remains on standby while the portable tank navigates narrower roads.
Currently deployed in various barangays facing accessibility challenges, the portable desludger represents a significant leap forward in Manila Water’s efforts to reach communities where conventional methods fall short. Despite its success, Manila Water has yet to finalize the pricing for the technology, as the desludger is still in its prototype stage. Targets for this year’s operations are still being discussed.
Manila Water primarily serves customers in the East Zone of Metro Manila, including Makati, Pasig, Pateros, Marikina, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Taguig, parts of Quezon City and Manila, as well as several towns in Rizal province.
