East zone concessionaire Manila Water Co. Inc. has adopted measures optimizing output production of its water sources and treatment plants preparatory to the expected increase in demand in the dry and hot summer months ahead.
As part of measures ensuring adequate water supply reserves for its 7.4 million customers in eastern Metro Manila and Rizal province, the enterprise as early as January this year inaugurated the Novaliches-Balara Aqueduct 4 in Quezon City. The facility is designed to convey up to 1,000 million liters of water per day to ensure the availability of water in its franchise area.
Manila Water said while a majority of its raw water supply still comes from Angat Dam, it implemented operational adjustments in the Cardona water treatment plant in Rizal to maximize daily water treatment capacity, with the plant now treating an average 106.2 million liters per day (MLD), up 41 percent from last year’s 75.24 MLD average.
Its two water treatment plants in Balara, Quezon City have also maximized backwash recovery which involves re-treating the byproduct of the water treatment process, resulting in a 113 percent increase in the average volume of treated water in the first two months this year to 24.7 MLD from last year’s 11.6 MLD.
This was on top of regular and preventive maintenance activities as the concessionaire also aggressively pursued a reduction in non-revenue (wasted or stolen) water through immediate repair of leaks and rehabilitation of pipes. This resulted in limiting water losses to only 12.69 percent in 2022.
Manila Water also has lined up additional water sources such as the Marikina River through to the 20-MLD Marikina portable water treatment plant and the newly rehabilitated Wawa Dam through the first phase of the Wawa-Calawis water supply system in Antipolo which can supply up to 80 MLD but can provide as much as 518 MLD once fully operational.
“These measures are part of Manila Water’s commitment to ensure that our customers continue to receive 24/7 water services especially during the summer season where demand normally spikes by 15 percent due to higher temperatures…,” said Arnold Mortera, Manila Water chief operating officer for East Zone, in a statement.
Manila Water serves customers in Makati, Pasig, Pateros, Marikina, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Taguig, some parts of Quezon City and Manila and several towns in Rizal province that include Taytay, Teresa, Angono, Antipolo, Baras, Binangonan, Cainta, San Mateo and Rodriguez.
