Maynilad Water Services Inc., operator of the water concession in the west of Metro Manila, said it spent about P17.3 billion to replace almost 2,600 kilometers of old, leaky pipes since winning the re-privatization in 2007.
The replacement, which is about the same as the distance between Manila and Seoul, South Korea, represents 64 percent of the water distribution network that Maynilad won in 2007.
The pipe network in Maynilad’s concession area is the oldest water system in Asia, with some portions dating back to the Spanish era.
“There is a need to sustain investments in the rehabilitation and replacement of the deteriorated pipes that Maynilad inherited. This is essential to prevent further loss of water, avoid water contamination, and increase water pressure for our customers,” said Maynilad president and chief executive officers Ramoncito Fernandez.
The water company in 2019 replaced 314 kilometers of old pipes in portions of Caloocan, Quezon City, Parañaque, Muntinlupa and Imus in Cavite.
The replacement involved an investment of P2.4 billion and enabled Maynilad to recover some 35 million liters of water a day, or enough to supply around 60,000 households.
Pipe replacement is a component of the Maynilad’s non-revenue water reduction program.
Other activities covered by the program are active leakage control, network diagnostics, meter replacements and district meter area management.
Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base.
It is the agent and contractor of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System 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, Parañaque, Las Piñas, 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.