East zone concessionaire Manila Water Co. Inc. is conducting maintenance works at its Marikina North Sewage Plant and Terminal Pumping Station to improve the plant's capacity, redundancy, and compliance with environmental standards.
In a statement, Manila Water said on Friday, Sept. 20, that the improvements will be completed by October to ensure the facility’s adaptability to operations.
According to the concessionaire, the maintenance involves installing additional sewage submersible pumps, nominal diameter (DN) 400 and 500 pipes, and a full-bore electromagnetic flowmeter.
Additionally, the plants underwent electrical upgrades such as installing an auxiliary supply and control transformer, motor isolator, and disconnect switch, as well as integrating new soft starters with the existing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.
“By upgrading the SCADA system and enhancing the power supply infrastructure of the Marikina North STP and TPS, Manila Water is investing in the future resilience of its wastewater management services while maintaining its 100 percent score in its wastewater effluent quality,” Manila Water stated.
Jeric Sevilla, Manila Water’s corporate communication director said that the maintenance works would not only benefit customers but to its waterways as well.
“Upgrading the efficiency of our wastewater treatment plants will ensure our effluent water will not harm the health of our rivers,” he added.
As of June, 26 Manila Water’s wastewater facilities achieved a 100 percent score in wastewater effluent quality compliance to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) regulatory office’s scorecard.
These standards are set by the Environmental Management Bureau and the Laguna Lake Development Authority.
“The company’s wastewater treatment plants produce ‘Class C’ effluent with eliminated bio-nutrients. This is deemed safe for water recycling for non-contact purposes such as toilet flushing, cleaning, and irrigation, as well as safe for discharge to water bodies and marine life,” Manila Water explained.