By Othel V. Campos
Some parts of Manila, Makati City, Pasay City, and Parañaque City will experience water service interruptions starting 3 p.m. of March 5 until midnight of March 7 due to repair works on a main pipeline along Osmeña Highway and Zobel Roxas St., in Makati.
The MAYNILAD Water Services thus households that will be affected by the supply cutoff to store enough water that would last them for at least two and one-half days.
Maynilad officials said the repair works involved plugging a major leak that spills 20 million to 30 million liters per day (MLD) ng the loss of 20 to 30 million liters per day (MLD).
“There will be 30 withdrawal points from where customers may access water supply. We will deploy 30 mobile water tankers: three for the City of Manila and 27 for the cities of Makati, Parañaque and Pasay. There will be seven stationary water tanks that will be deployed, as well,” said Maynilad head of Manila Business Area Zmel Grabillo in a briefing Tuesday.
The 20-hour to 57-hour water service interruptions will affect around 114,000 points in Manila, Makati, Pasay, and Parañaque.
To be affected in Manila are Barangays 719, 726-731, 732-734, 745-762, 769, 803, 807 in Malate and San Andres which will experience water interruption by 3 p.m. on March 5 until 11 a.m. of March 6.
In Makati, residents of Bangkal, Magallanes, Palanan, Pio del Pilar and San Isidro are advised to be ready for water interruption starting at 3 p.m. of March 5 up to 9 p.m. of March 7.
Affected areas in Parañaque consist of Don Bosco, BF Homes, Marcelo Green, San Antonio, San Martin De Porres and Sucat.
In Pasay, the affected areas as Barangays 1, 3, 7, 9 ,14-15, 18, 20, 23, 33, 37, 41-49, 51-52, 56- 59, 64-68, 71-75, 80-81,84-86, 89, 91, 93-99, 101, 104, 106- 110, 112-115, 118, 122-123, 125-126, 128, 130,131, 133, 135-137, and 142.
Maynilad said the defective pipeline was discovered during a pipe network inspection using various acoustic leak detection equipment.
The strong pressure coming from the leakage has already damaged portions of the ground below from where the broken pipe is lodged, which makes it a bit trickier to conduct restoration efforts.
Nevertheless, Maynilad officials are optimistic that the repair will proceed as anticipated otherwise, it may announced for an extension of repair activities.
Maynilad has to expose the underground pipe to properly assess the extent of the damage. Workers will need 52 hours to excavate the site, drain the primary line, repair the damage, and energize the affected pipeline.
While the service interruption is in place, Maynilad will also take the opportunity to conduct parallel activities—including leak repairs and pipe inspections in other areas, and maintenance works at the Villamor and Espiritu Pumping Stations—which would otherwise require the implementation of separate service disruptions.
Maynilad assured motorists and the traveling public that there will be no massive traffic in the area of activity and that the water firm has already collaborated with the local government units and sought assistance from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for mobility concerns.