Maynilad Water Services Corp. is pushing ahead with plans to build a new treatment plant to tap water from the Laguna de Bay even as regulators insist on focusing new investments on the Kaliwa Dam amid rising demand.
In a notice to potential contractors, Maynilad announced a contract to build its Laguna Lake Water Treatment Plant in Muntinlupa City, which would have a capacity to process 150 million liters a day (MLD).
“The proposed project…aims to serve portions of the southern part of the West Concession Area as part of Maynilad’s service level improvement in terms of water supply coverage,” the firm said.
“The project shall also serve as an additional water source in case of climate-induced water supply scarcity in the future,” it added.
The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) assures the public that Metro Manila and neighboring provinces will have secure supply of potable water over the next five years and until 2037 when water service concessions end.
MWSS identified as potential medium-term water sources the Laguna Lake with a potential to provide 900 MLD; Sumag River, 188 MLD; Tayabasan River, 175 MLD and Wawa River, 500 MLD.
The other MWSS concessionaire, Manila Water Co. Inc., has been pushing for its own integrated water supply facility in Pakil, Laguna—called East Bay project—which will have a capacity to produce 250 MLD.
Manila Water earlier warned that without a new source of water, it might not be able to keep up with increasing demand and a shortfall might happen starting 2021.
But the MWSS was not inclined to approve Manila Water’s East Bay project, showing concern that the resulting increase in water rates would be much more compared to the tariff hikes that would result from the agency’s Kaliwa Dam.
Kaliwa Dam project will be funded through China’s overseas development assistance funds.