West zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad) is spending P1.14 billion to upgrade the treatment processes of the Putatan Water Treatment Plants (PWTP) 1 and 2 in Muntinlupa City to improve the quality of raw water coming from Laguna Lake.
The water company said it was beefing up the material and structural reinforcement of the facilities’ existing silt curtain. It also strengthens the sludge management system, maximizes the use activated carbon dosing and replaces all ultrafiltration membranes, among other enhancements.
“We have had to incorporate additional treatment processes at Putatan WTP to handle some quality parameters of Laguna Lake that now occur at levels not seen from recorded prior 10-year experience. This investment is essential so we can continue to maximize the lake’s strategic value as a water source for Metro Manila,” said Maynilad chief operating officer Randolph Estrellado.
The phased improvements enabled the company to sustain normal water production since June 2023 despite the sudden shifts in the lake water’s quality.
This led to improved service availability for Maynilad customers in the south versus the previous year, when the water production of PWTP 1 and 2 would immediately drop following spikes in total dissolved solids, algae proliferation and presence of organic and inorganic matter in the lake water.
Estrellado said the PWTP improvements were aligned with the recommendations of the Public Utility Board (PUB)—the national water agency of Singapore—which was invited to the country by MWSS Administrator Leonor Cleofas to assess the said facilities and share their expertise with Maynilad.
Maynilad’s PWTP 1 and 2 comprise the largest membrane-based water treatment plants in the Philippines. The treatment facilities pioneered the utilization of Laguna Lake as an alternate source to Angat Dam.
The company is constructing another 150-MLD treatment plant in Poblacion, Muntinlupa City, which will be its third facility to tap Laguna Lake as a source.
The three WTPs are a vital part of Maynilad’s plan to develop alternative sources of water to enhance service reliability for customers and promote water security.