Ayala tapped to develop Leyte water facilities

The Leyte Metropolitan Water District (LMWD) has engaged Manila Water Co. Inc. for a joint venture project related to the water facilities and services in Leyte province.

Manila Water yesterday told the local bourse the deal entailed the incorporation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) that would undertake the design, construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, operation, financing, expansion, and management of the facilities and services of LMWD.

The Ayala unit said the SPV should gain “the right to bill and collect tariff for the provision of water supply and sanitation services in LMWD’s service area.” Covered are Tacloban City and the towns of Palo, Tanauan, Dagami, Tolosa, Pastrana, Tabontabon, and Santa Fe—accounting for a total population of 483,000.

As of 2016, LMWD’s customer base covered 31,000 water service connections with a billed volume of 27 million liters daily.