Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon asked representatives of Maynilad Water Services to explain the severe water supply interruption in Muntinlupa that has affected 70 percent of its customers in the city.
Maynilad earned the ire of Muntinlupa residents when it imposed a water interruption schedule of up to 18 hours a day. Some areas have no water supply for days.
Maynilad initially said the water supply interruption would only be until Jan. 20 but it extended it until Feb. 15.
Biazon held a briefing on Zoom with Maynilad representatives on Jan. 20 to discuss the current situation of lack of water supply in Muntinlupa.
The water company has the Putatan Water Treatment Plant (PWTP) in Muntinlupa, which gets raw water from the Laguna Lake, converts it to potable water, and supplies it to households and businesses in Muntinlupa and other cities.
In his presentation, Greg Antonio, head of Maynilad Water Production, said in November, there was high turbidity (cloudiness) of raw water from Laguna Lake, prompting Maynilad’s two PWTP to slow down in production.
Before the turbidity issue, he said, the reduced water production was caused by the slow recovery of PWTP’s filtration membranes which brought about the high algal bloom from October to November.
Antonio said during “Amihan” season (northeast monsoon), the direction of the wind is towards where Maynilad gets raw water. Since the Laguna Lake bed is already shallow, this results in silts being moved by the current.
Biazon said since “Amihan” and algal bloom always happen, Maynilad should have a plan to prepare for these.
Antonio said Maynilad has already included the plan for this year to correct and maintain the water supply needed by its customers.
According to Antonio, Maynilad has a water reservoir in Bgy. Tunasan, which is used when water usage reaches its peak.
He said the PWTP has a capacity to produce 300 million liters per day but during peak, the demand reaches 350 to 360 million liters per day. The reservoir is used to supply the excess water demand.
Lopez said the Tunasan reservoir is refilled with water and used to supply water to the Southville 3 housing project, Victoria Homes and New Bilibid Prison Reservation.
He said since Jan. 16, the reservoir is not being utilized and refilled because of low production in the Putatan plant.
According to Maynilad's Harold Lopez, water tankers are being deployed to supply water in different areas.
“In Muntinlupa, up to 70 percent of our service connections have been affected ,” he said.
Biazon also said that customers are complaining that the water coming out of their faucets is yellowish, making it unusable.
Antonio said Maynilad’s long-term solution to the water supply problem is the construction of the Poblacion Water Treatment Plant in Barangay Poblacion, Muntinlupa, which will have a capacity of 150 million liters per day, and is expected to be completed in early 2023.
Biazon said he will communicate with Maynilad regarding the adjustment in water bill since customers are not getting the level of service they expect.
“If cannot get the expected service, I hope there will be an adjustment in the bill. Water supply is a big responsibility since this is included in the basic needs of everyone,” he said.