Maynilad to build more sewage treatment plants

MANILA, Philippines—The Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad), led by the Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and DMCI Holdings, has announced it is building 14 sewage treatment plants (STPs) this year and in 2012 to promote a healthy environment in its concession area.

In a roundtable discussion at the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Maynilad president and CEO Ricky Vargas said, “I am projecting to spend P2 billion to build 14 STPs.”

According to data from the Maynilad, around P1.6 billion will be spent to build 11 STPs this year.

Maynilad is set to construct the 11 STPs for 2011 in Bagbag, Tatalon, Tandang Sora, Baesa, Samson, Del Monte, Bahay Toro, San Antonio, Paltok, Doña Imelda, all in Quezon City, and Paco in Manila. The STPs will have a total treatment capacity of 57,000 cubic meters (cu. m.) per day of wastewater and will serve parts of the San Juan River catchment, as well as Paco area.

The rest will be built in 2012.

At present, Maynilad has three STPs with a combined capacity of 470,000 cu. m. per day. The company also plans to expand its wastewater coverage using a combined sewerage system (CSS), which will allow wastewater flow from the existing drainage to be collected for treatment before being discharged to major bodies of water.

According to Vargas, the additional sewerage facilities are part of Maynilad’s strategic plan to provide full wastewater service coverage in the West Zone. He also stressed the importance of these infrastructures to protect the environment and the health and wellness of water users.

“We continue to build STPs, although we can’t force people to connect,” Vargas said.

The West zone concessionaire has said in a report that it had earmarked P78.8 billion for its Sewerage and Sanitation program from 2008 to 2037. For this year, Maynilad allocated P2.3 billion for its wastewater projects.

Since its re-privatization in 2007, Maynilad said it has invested nearly P2 billion to improve wastewater services in its concession area. It has connected over 6,000 accounts to its sewer network, and has treated nearly 191 million cu. m. of wastewater. The company has also cleaned nearly 225,000 septic tanks of Maynilad customers who are not yet connected to a sewer line and regularly offers free septic tank cleaning for such customers.

Aside from building the additional STPs, Maynilad said it has been supporting multi-sectoral efforts to clean up major water systems such as the Pasig River and Manila Bay. The company is heavily involved in the ongoing Estero de Paco improvement program through the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission. The program aims to improve the condition of the Estero de Paco – one of the main tributaries of the Pasig River.

Maynilad’s head of wastewater management, Tony Garcia, said in a recent statement, “We are fast- tracking our wastewater projects because this is our commitment to the government and to our current and future customers.”

Maynilad is a concessionaire of the state-run Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System for the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area (Metro Manila and surrounding provinces).

Maynilad’s concession area is composed of the cities of Manila (all but portions of San Andres and Sta. Ana), Quezon City (west of San Juan River, West Avenue, EDSA, Congressional, Mindanao Avenue, the northern part starting from the Districts of the Holy Spirit & Batasan Hills), Makati (west of South Super Hi-way), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon, all in Metro Manila; Cavite City, and the towns of Bacoor, Imus, Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite province.