Maynilad in P16.5-B effort to cut water losses

Water concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. will spend P16.5 billion in the next five years to pursue projects that will help reduce the company’s water losses in preparation for the impending El Niño phenomenon.

Of this amount, Maynilad said over P10 billion would fund pipe replacement projects within its concession area, particularly Manila, Caloocan and Quezon City.

Around P5.8 billion, meanwhile, will go to the company’s meter management projects, the establishment of smaller district metered areas, leak repairs and diagnostic activities.

The remaining amount will be used for leak detection equipment and technical services, according to Maynilad.

Improving recovery

“We have dedicated more resources toward the reduction of losses so we can speed up water volume recovery in time for El Niño. We hope that we continue to get the support of the relevant government agencies and local government units in facilitating the release of permits and other requirements needed for our [nonrevenue water] projects,” Randolph Estrellado, Maynilad chief operating officer, said in a statement on Saturday.

Nonrevenue water (NRW) refers to supply lost from leaks and illegal connections, and therefore does not reach consumers.

Around 80 percent of Maynilad’s water losses are due to leaks, while the remaining 20 percent are caused by commercial losses, or inaccurate water metering and illegal connections.

By the end of 2022, Maynilad reported that it had cut its total NRW level to 43 percent of its total water produced from 68 percent in 2006.

This translates to 413 million liters per day of water recovered, according to the concessionaire.

During the 16-year period, Maynilad replaced 3,083 kilometers of old pipelines and repaired nearly 460,000 leaks.

The World Bank states that, ideally, NRW must be less than 25 percent of the total water produced. Maynilad aims to reach this level by 2027.

Earlier this year, the company said it would earmark P4 billion to reduce its water losses. INQ