Maynilad Water Services, Inc. said it will upgrade the storage capacity of Bagbag Reservoir in Quezon City to enhance service reliability for households and other consumers in the west zone.

In a statement, Maynilad said it allotted P1.7 billion to construct a new chamber in the underground reservoir, adding 100 million liters (ML) to its storage capacity. To compare, the current level it can store is up to 200 ML only.

The concessionaire said Maynilad will also install a 1,800-millimeter-diameter inlet and outlet pipeline, as well as a construction of a new tank, and an upgrade on the refilling pumps.

Presently, Bagbag is Maynilad’s main reservoir. The treated water comes from La Mesa Treatment Plants 1 and 2 and serves about four million customers or around 58 percent of the western part of Metro Manila.

Ramoncito Fernandez, Maynilad president and chief executive officer said the reservoir expansion is necessary due to population growth in urban areas, resulting in higher water demand.

“By increasing our water-storage capacity, we can address water availability issues, especially during hours of peak demand when consumption can sometimes exceed our water reserves,” he explained.

The completion of this project would improve the water pressure in the elevated and far-flung areas of the metro affected by the Bagbag Reservoir.

Furthermore, the construction is said to be finished by 2027. (Gabriell Christel Galang)