INQUIRER.net file photo / Noy Morcoso
MANILA, Philippines — Amid the water shortage that affected consumers of Manila Water in parts of Metro Manila and Rizal, is there a need for a third water service provider? Some water officials don’t think so.
In a press conference on Wednesday, officials from Maynilad and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) were asked if there is a need for a third water service provider, taking inspiration from the government’s selection of a third telecommunications player in the country.
For Engr. Ronaldo Padua, head of Maynilad’s Water Supply Operations, it would be “very difficult” to create new pipe networks to accommodate a third water service provider.
“Very difficult po considering the fact na sobrang congested yung streets natin dito sa Metro Manila for you to be able to lay new pipes,” Padua said.
“Yun pong pipes na pinaguusapan natin, hindi po ito yung maliliit na tubo…For Maynilad po ang pinakamalaki po naming tubo ay 3.2 meters in diameter. So very difficult po to come up with a separate pipe network system for different companies within this metro,” he added.
Meanwhile, Engr. Patrick Dizon from the MWSS Corporate Office, echoed Padua’s sentiment and added that underground cables from Meralco also share the same space where pipelines of the two water service providers are laid out.
“Actually same lang yung sinasabi po nila kasi considering yung mga streets natin ngayon is maliliit so kung lalatagan mo pa ng, hindi lang kasi ang Maynilad or Manila Water yung mga pipelines na nandun, merong mga lines, underground cable ng Meralco or telepono, so dadagdagan mo pa ng isa,” Dizon said.
Padua also noted that additional pipelines would also be required within building and houses that he said may burden the consumers.
“Aside dun sa separate pipeline along the streets, it will also require separate pipelines within the buildings, within the houses, so yung investment will not just be on the concessionaires’ part, on the service providers’ part but also [on] the consumer[s’] part. Kasi kailangan din silang mag-repiping ng kanilang system sa loob ng bahay nila,” he said.
For Maynilad Spokesperson Jen Rufo, she said that water service is a kind of business that cannot have multiple players.
“There are certain kinds of businesses na mahirap kung multiple players, parang nearest example po, Meralco. Kung maraming players sa kuryente, ang daming poste diyan kada kanto,” Rufo said.
“Kasi hindi mo naman pwedeng gamitin yung existing poste nung player talaga. So ganun din sa tubig, ang daming pipeline niyan, kada isang player separate pipeline, so it’s that kind of business that really cannot have multiple players because of the massive capital investments needed,” she added.
There are currently two water concessionaires in Metro Manila—Manila Water and Maynilad Water Services Inc.
Manila Water provides water supply to the east zone — Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, Marikina, most parts of Quezon City, San Andres and Santa Ana in Manila, which are all in Metro Manila, and in parts of Rizal in Angono, Antipolo, Baras, Binangonan, Cainta, Cardona, Jalajala, Morong, Pililia, Rodriguez, San Mateo, Tanay, Taytay and Teresa.
Meanwhile, Maynilad supplies water to the west zone—all parts of Manila except for San Andres and Santa Ana, some parts of Quezon City (west of San Juan River, West Avenue, Edsa, Congressional and Mindanao avenues, the northern part of Quezon City starting from the districts of Holy Spirit and Batasan Hills), Makati (west of South Superhighway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon. /jpv
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