Metro Pacific Water (MPW) is beginning to reverse years of water infrastructure neglect in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, restoring water service to more than 3,500 households within just two weeks of taking over as the city’s interim water operator.
Through its subsidiary Metro Pacific Bulacan Water (MPBW), the company has repaired 29 pipeline leaks since assuming operations on June 5, tackling part of a backlog of more than 200 leaks left after the previous operator’s eight-year stint.
The repairs have restored round-the-clock water service to 507 households in Harmony Hills Subdivision, increased daily supply to as much as 20 hours for 450 households in Dela Costa Homes 3 in Barangay Graceville, improved service to up to 16 hours for 1,205 households in Barangay Gumaoc, and enhanced water availability for 1,386 households in Towerville Phase 5 in Minuyan.
“The results of the initial repairs are encouraging, but we recognize that restoring the distribution network will take time. These problems accumulated over nearly a decade, and addressing them will require sustained work.
Nevertheless, the repairs completed so far represent a significant first step,” MPW President and Chief Executive
Officer Andrew Pangilinan said.
Beyond fixing visible leaks, MPW uncovered deeper operational problems.
A major leak at the raw water inlet of Water Treatment Plant 2 had been wasting treated water while costing about P150,000 a month in bulk-water charges paid to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System. Repairing the defect is expected to reduce losses and improve service reliability.
A city audit also painted a stark picture of the system MPW inherited, with only 10 of 37 pumping stations operational and water treatment practices requiring urgent corrective action to meet national drinking water standards.
The company has since deployed 12 additional water tankers, expanding its fleet to 34 vehicles serving 62 barangays, while upgrading customer service, meter reading and billing systems.
The early gains suggest that fixing San Jose del Monte’s water woes will require more than emergency repairs, but they also show that long-delayed investments can begin delivering results one leak at a time.
