Metro Manila’s West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. is set to provide rebates to customers recently affected by prolonged service interruptions.
In a statement, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) chief regulator Patrick Lester Ty said, “Maynilad accepted the findings of the said investigation and volunteered to provide a rebate to the affected customers.” He was referring to the outcome of the utility regulator’s Jan. 6 meeting.
Households in Maynilad’s concession area have been affected by water supply interruptions since Dec. 20, 2022—a violation of its obligation to deliver uninterrupted round-the-clock supply, Ty stressed.
“The MWSS-RO (Regulatory Office) is currently in the process of assessing the final rebate amount, which shall not be recoverable or passed on to the consumers,” he said.
Acceptance
Separately, Maynilad affirmed that it had accepted the outcome of the regulator’s probe and would refund customers who have been inconvenienced, mostly those living in the southern part of the service area.
“Said interruptions were due to the reduced production of our treatment plant in Putatan, Muntinlupa, resulting from a damaged sludge removal equipment, coupled with a rise in turbidity levels of the raw water from Laguna Lake,” Maynilad said in a statement.
No estimate was given on the actual number of customers who have suffered service interruptions.The MWSS ordered Maynilad “to fast-track the resumption of normal water supply to the affected customers, especially during this time of the pandemic when water is most essential for safeguarding public health.”
To normalize by month end
According to Maynilad, it is expecting water service to normalize by end-January or earlier, barring any complications.
“Currently, we are just stabilizing the plant’s system that was affected by the defective equipment, and monitoring the turbidity trend in the raw water supply,” it explained.
Turbidity refers to increased sediment concentration in raw water.
Maynilad also said repairs on the sludge removal equipment were now 75 percent complete, enabling them to increase water production to 91 percent and gradually reduce the number of affected customers or lengthen the availability of water in the said areas.
In December last year, the MWSS RO directed Maynilad to explain recurring water service interruptions that have hassled households served by Putatan Water Treatment Plants.
The MWSS-RO was besieged by complaints that had stemmed from the lack of public advisory and notice of service interruptions alongside extended water supply disruptions.
Ty added that the MWSS wouldn’t hesitate to impose another sanction on Maynilad should the situation persist.
In September last year, the regulator slapped Maynilad with a P9.3 million fine likewise because of “prolonged” and recurring” water service interruptions. The fine was implemented in the form of bill rebates.