Maynilad allots P7.2B for projects

Maynilad Water Services Inc. has earmarked P7.2 billion for spending in 2016 on wastewater projects and related facilities.

The water service concessionaire said it intended to invest some P6 billion for wastewater management projects this year. In particular, P4.6 billion of the amount will bankroll the construction of new sewage treatment plants in central Manila and Cavite as well as for the improvement of existing ones including those in Quezon City.

Also, Maynilad plans to spend P1.2 billion to build pipe systems for the new plants as well as for the development of sewerage systems in Quezon City and Valenzuela.

The company’s capital expenses on wastewater management account for about half of its P13.6-billion infrastructure kitty for 2016.

Maynilad said funding would come from local and international bank loans and from internally generated funds.

Last December, Maynilad brought online its newly built, P363-million septage treatment plant in Pamplona, Las Piñas City.

The company said the plant was designed to treat wastewater collected from the septic tanks of its customers in the southern Greater Manila Area, particularly the residents of Las Piñas, Parañaque, Muntinlupa and Cavite.

Partly funded through a loan from the World Bank, the plant can treat up to 250,000 liters of septage daily.

Also, the plant is the third such facility that Maynilad operates. The other two are in Project 7, Quezon City, and in Dagat-dagatan, Caloocan City.

Maynilad offers the desludging or cleaning of septic tanks for unsewered locations within its concession area and the septage collected is brought to the treatment plants. Also brought to the plants for treatment are wastewater collected from the sewered areas.

Maynilad president and chief executive Ricky P. Vargas said the company’s continued investments in the construction of wastewater facilities helped reduce pollution of creeks and rivers that empty out to Manila Bay. Ronnel W. Domingo