FILE PHOTO: Water coming out of the faucet. INQUIRER.net file photo / Katherine G. Adraneda
MANILA, Philippines — Government regulators assured Wednesday that water supply in every Metro Manila household will continue during the two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from August 6-20 as it ordered water concessionaires to halt service disconnection activities.
The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Regulatory Office (MWSS-RO), however, appealed to the local government units in ECQ areas as well as in provinces adjacent to Metro Manila that are under the concession of Manila Water Company, Inc. and Maynilad Water Services, Inc. to allow on-site water meter reading in order to facilitate the smooth generation of bills.
Manila Water manages water service for the east zone concession while Maynilad handles the western zone concession.
“In light of the declaration of an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region from 06 to 20 August 2021 […] the [MWSS RO] has directed Manila Water Company, Inc. and Maynilad Water Services, Inc. to suspend all service disconnection activities (whether temporary or permanent) for the duration of the ECQ period, and to ensure water supply availability within their Service Areas,” said MWSS Chief Regulator Patrick Ty.
“The MWSS RO appeals to concerned Local Government Units (LGUs) in Metro Manila, Cavite, and Rizal, to allow the Meter Readers of the Water Concessionaires to continue their on-site water meter reading and billing operations during the ECQ period,” he added.
“This will enable the Concessionaires to bill their customers based on actual water consumption, and help minimize billing complaints that may abound if the customers were to be billed based on average consumption,” he also said.
MWSS-RO said the water firms assured them that meter readers deployed would strictly adhere to health protocols as part of precautionary measures against COVID-19 transmissions.
“The MWSS RO has directed both Concessionaires to ensure strict compliance of their Meter Readers and other personnel with the prescribed health and safety protocols in the conduct of read-and-bill,” Ty said.
“The agency will continue to protect the welfare of the public, especially during this difficult time of the pandemic,” he added.
Metro Manila is set to go back to ECQ as the COVID-19 Delta variant threatens the still fragile state of public health in the country due to the pandemic.
READ: Metro Manila under ECQ from August 6 to 20
Laws that were specifically created for the COVID-19 pandemic like the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act or Bayanihan 2 provides measures against disconnection of utility services and a grace period for people who fail to settle their bill on time.
READ: Bayanihan 2 provides ‘three-gives’ payment scheme on utility bills — Tolentino