Manila Water intensifies sewer-drainage upgrade, expansion

MANILA, Philippines — The Ayala-led Manila Water Company, Inc. said Tuesday that it has been intensifying efforts to provide and expand sewerage services for its more than 6 million customers.

In a statement, Manila Water said it has been operating, to date, a total of 36 wastewater treatment facilities capable of treating 135 million liters of wastewater per day.

With 99 percent of its area already enjoying 24-hour water supply, the company said it has been stepping up efforts to prevent the inflow of contaminated water to Metro Manila’s major rivers.

Since wastewater infrastructure and sewer pipe-laying have been deemed to be capital-intensive, Manila Water started implementing in 2005 the Manila Third Sewerage Project (MTSP).

MTSP is an $86-M World Bank-assisted project that pilots a world-class technology called the Combined Sewer-Drainage System.

The Combined Sewer-Drainage System utilizes existing municipal drainage systems as conveyors of wastewater.

Captured sewage and stormwater are then intercepted and treated in a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to make sure that water discharged back into rivers are clean and acceptable by DENR standards.

By managing to reduce its capital investment costs, which eases the tariff burden on its customers, Manila Water was able to expand its sewer coverage from 3 percent in 1997 to 16 percent in 2009.

Manila Water completed and begun operating in 2008 its first Combined Sewer-Drainage System that has been serving 25,000 residents in Barangays (villages) Pineda and Capitolyo in Pasig City.

The Pineda Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), situated along the banks of the Pasig River, is designed to treat sewage as well as storm water flows of up to four million liters per day before discharging clean water to the river.

Aside from the Pineda STP, Manila Water has also been operating other combined systems such as the Olandes STP, an internationally awarded project located in Marikina City, and Poblacion STP in Makati City.