Manila Water: Supply deficit has been halved

Manila Water Co. Inc. yesterday said its supply deficit had been halved to 73.77 million liters daily as of April 8 as it activated more deep wells and booster pumps.

The Ayala group subsidiary had an average daily shortage of 150 MLD earlier this year, which resulted in massive service interruptions that left major areas in Metro Manila without water for days at a time beginning March.

In a statement, the firm said it was now operating 21 deep wells, which altogether provide 33.66 MLD to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System’s (MWSS) east zone concession area.

The company has a permit from the National Water Resources Board to reactivate old wells or drill new ones, for a total of 100 wells that could give an aggregate of 100 MLD.

According to the MWSS, half of these wells are part of the 50-MLD Rizal Wellfield project.

Also, Manila Water said it had installed 18 line boosters or pumps across the east zone as it continued to accelerate the implementation of technical solutions to extend water supply to elevated areas and those farthest from its central distribution system.

“This will further increase water availability to the current 99 percent of the customer base of Manila Water that are now receiving water supply for 8 to 12 hours, at least at ground floor level,” the company claimed.

These pumps include six in Quezon City, two in Makati City and Mandaluyong City, three in Taguig City, four in Marikina City and three in Pasig City and Rizal.

Among the areas that benefited from such pumps is Upper Bicutan, with three line boosters installed at Goyena, Lapu-Lapu and Marian Lakeview in San Martin de Porres.

Manila Water said more line boosters were scheduled for installation within the coming weeks at various locations in Quezon City and in Antipolo City, Binangonan, and Rodriguez in Rizal.

“Other technical solutions that Manila Water is implementing to further increase water availability in the remaining pocket areas with intermittent water supply include valving and network adjustments, looping and interconnection of lines as well as other after-the-meter rectifications,” the company added. —RONNEL W. DOMINGO