Maynilad launches project to revive Pasig river

GARBAGE CLOGGED The Estero de Magdalena along La Torre Bridge in Tondo, Manila, is shown in this June 2018 file photo.—INQUIRER PHOTO

Maynilad Water Services Inc. has launched the “Sagip Estero, Balik Sigla”  project, which aims to improve the water quality in the esteros and tributaries of the Pasig River before water is released back into the river and finally into Manila Bay.

Maynilad has partnered with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission, the local government of the city of Manila, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the project.

Four esteros

The esteros involved are Estero dela Reina, Estero de Sunog Apog, Estero de Magdalena, and Estero de Concordia.

The project which will be completed in 2020 will benefit 8,456 households in Estero dela Reina; 1,221 in Estero de Sunog Apog; 1,441 in Estero Magdalena; and 287 in Estero de Concordia.

MWSS administrator Reynaldo Velasco,  who graced  the groundbreaking ceremony  for the project with Maynilad president Ramoncito Fernandez and other officials from the government and Maynilad, commended Maynilad for the project, stressing that collective effort was needed for the river cleanup.

“This project by Maynilad is laudable as it manifests the concessionaire’s adherence to the Clean Water Act and its support to the writ of continuing mandamus issued by the Supreme Court in 2008,” Velasco said.

Interceptor pipes

Maynilad will construct interceptor pipes and appurtenances along the easement areas of the four esteros to capture the wastewater discharges of households in the area and treat them before discharging them into the waterways.

The generated wastewater, which will be conveyed by the interceptor pipes, will be treated in Maynilad’s Tondo Sewage Pumping Plant.

Maynilad COO Randy Estrellado, however, lamented that despite Maynilad’s wastewater management efforts, the wanton throwing of garbage particularly by informal settlers somehow makes it futile to return the treated water to the polluted tributaries.

Maynilad has allotted almost P1.7 billion this year for wastewater projects. It has spent almost P14 billion to expand sewerage coverage in the West Zone since 2007.

From a 6-percent sewerage coverage in 2007, coverage has improved to 16 percent as of June 2018.