The Maynilad Water Service, Inc. (Maynilad) will be tapping deep wells to generate more water supply amid the threat of water supply shortage in Metro Manila.
In a statement, Maynilad said it is eyeing the use of existing 60 deep wells which, it said, are expected to generate around 32 million liters per day (MLD) which will be able to supply the water requirement of some 175,000 customers in the western part of Metro Manila.
Maynilad is currently running eight of these new and reactivated deep wells. It said the total production from deep wells in 19 different locations will rise to 12.38 MLD by the end of July.
To reopen more deep wells in the upcoming months, it is carefully cooperating with many homeowners' groups and the pertinent government agencies.
Maynilad, however, said that groundwater is not a sustainable source of water supply and the use of deep wells is only allowed during times of contingency, such as during expected supply shortage due to El Niño.
“The number of deep wells we can reactivate in the West Zone is limited because our proximity to Manila Bay makes groundwater reserves salty and unusable in some areas,” Maynilad said. (Nicole Magmanlac)