The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System lauded the completion of the P1.7 billion Paranaque Water Reclamation Facility, Maynilad Water’s largest sewage treatment plant in terms of processing capacity, as well as the city government’s 92 percent compliance rate in terms of sewer connections that underscore the combined efforts of all stakeholders in cleaning up Manila Bay and other tributaries.
“We are happy with the completion of this modern water reclamation facility three years after it was started. I commend both Maynilad and Paranaque City for remaining steadfast in pushing for this flagship project, despite protestations and brickbats from motorists, as this project is not only as means to comply to the Supreme Court mandamus to clean Manila Bay but more so for the overall benefit of the people,” said MWSS Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco.
Velasco made the statement after the formal opening of the new STP facility in San Dionisio, Paranaque City the other day with MWSS Chairman Franklin Demonteverde, MWSS RO Chief Patrick Ty, Paranaque City Mayor Edwin L. Olivarez, Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez, JICA official Yoshio Wada, Development Bank of the Philippines President and CEO Cecilia Borromeo, and other members of the MWSS Board of Trustees.
“The success story of the Maynilad Water Reclamation Facility completion and the 92 percent compliance rate of Paranaque City to sewer connectivity including its firm resolve to clear more than 5,000 out of the 8,000 informal settlers living along esteros and rivers in the city should now become the template for all other local government units covered by our concessionaires,” Velasco said.Paranaque City Mayor Olivarez said “this is very important step in our collective efforts to help you protect our environment, which is one of the pillars of governance agenda in the city to be business-friendly, and at the same time environment-friendly.”
Olivarez added that the start of operations of the Paranaque Water Reclamation Facility is “timely” because of the renewed drive to fast track the rehabilitation and clean up of Manila Bay led by Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu.
“With this water facility, we will now be able to remove pollutants from the wastewater being collected from Maynilad costumers in Paranaque before these are discharged to the waterways that eventually end up in Manila Bay,” said Olivarez.
Maynilad to invest P26.4B
Maynilad President Fernandez said Maynilad would invest P26.4 billion in the next five years to build new Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) and lay sewer lines in Caloocan, Las Pinas, Muntinlupa, and Kawit, Cavite.
The new facilities, which will have a combined treatment capacity of 320 million liters per day (MLD), will remove harmful substances from the wastewater generated by more than 2 million Maynilad customers, thus helping to reduce pollution loading into water bodies.
Of the P26.4-billion budget allocation, about P16.3 billion will be spent for the laying of some 241 kilometers of new sewer lines, which will convey wastewater from households to Maynilad’s new STPs for treatment.
Once completed in 2021, these new facilities will expand Maynilad’s sewerage coverage to 47% up from only 6% in 2006 before Maynilad was re-privatized. The company aims to attain 100% sewerage coverage by the end of the concession period in 2037.
“So far, we have invested P23.3 billion to improve the wastewater infrastructure and expand coverage in the West Zone since 2007. By sustaining investments in wastewater projects, we do our part in the cleanup and rehabilitation of Manila Bay, per the Supreme Court Mandamus,” said Fernandez, adding the company is investing P11.4 billion for wastewater projects this year.
Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base. It is the agent contractor of Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (certain portions), Quezon City (certain portions), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Paranaque, Las Pinas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas, and Malabon all in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite Province.