Manila Water’s P181 billion service improvement plan backs ‘Build Better More’ program
The construction of the Wawa-Calawis Water Treatment Plant in Antipolo City, Rizal (pictured), which is part of the Wawa-Calawis Water Supply System Project Phase 2, is now 82% complete and currently in testing and commissioning stage. Set to provide additional 438 MLD of water for more than 1 million customers in Antipolo, Teresa and Baras, this project is part of Manila Water’s 2023-2027 Service Improvement Plan, which comprises construction of disaster-resilient facilities to ensure water supply and service reliability in the East Zone.
The P181-billion Service Improvement Plan of East Zone concessionaire Manila Water anchored on the four pillars of sustainability perfectly aligns with the thrust of the government to build more infrastructure that is climate resilient, supports conservation, and reduces risks brought about by disasters.
Included in Manila Water’s Service Improvement Plan, which will be implemented from 2023 to 2027, are the construction of new water sources and needed infrastructure, as well as the rehabilitation of its existing facilities, under the Company’s four pillars of sustainability: Water Security, Service Accessibility, Service Continuity, and Environmental Sustainability.
As Metro Manila is still dependent on Angat Dam for 95% of its water needs, Manila Water understands the need to look for other water sources to guarantee 24/7 supply to its customers.
Under the Water Security pillar, Manila Water developed a 4-Water System Master Plan: the Angat-La Mesa Water System involves diverting raw water from Sumag River in Quezon to the Angat Reservoir and rehabilitating the Umiray Angat Transbasin; the Laguna Lake Water System involves the East Bay Water Supply System Project Phase 1 and 2 which will tap Laguna Lake as a source of additional 50 million liters of water per day (MLD) for the municipalities of Jalajala, Baras, Morong, Cardona and Binangonan in Rizal; the Antipolo Water System where the Wawa-Calawis Water Supply System is being constructed, which will bring additional 518 MLD of water for Manila Water customers in Antipolo City, Teresa, and Baras; and the East Sources Water System which includes the Kaliwa Water Supply Project and other Long-Term East Sources.
Under the Service Accessibility and Service Continuity pillars are the rehabilitation, retrofitting, and improvement of Manila Water’s existing water treatment plants (WTPs), package treatment plants, pump stations, reservoirs, aged primary pipelines, and pipe bridges, and pipelaying of more reliability and distribution lines.
Manila Water is also set to embark on building a Three-River System Wastewater Masterplan, under the Environmental Sustainability pillar.
A new Septage Treatment Plant (SpTP) and six sewage treatment plants (STPs) with complimenting sewer network lines, pump stations, and lift stations will be built under the Marikina River System, San Juan River System, Pasig River System, and Laguna Lake System to ensure full coverage of wastewater collection and treatment in the East Zone.
“All these projects have integrated innovations in disaster resiliency in its design and construction. Similar with the government’s views on the future of the infrastructure sector in the Philippines, Manila Water recognizes the need for investing in infrastructure to ensure viable and reliable service to the public despite the inevitable challenges we are facing such as population increase, climate change, and disaster vulnerability,” says Jocot De Dios, Manila Water President and CEO.
“Through prioritizing construction of climate-resilient infrastructure in our current and future service improvement plans, we hope to continuously contribute to the administration’s Build Better More program, at the same time, to the country’s economic development.” De Dios added.
