Water bills are changing for millions of customers this quarter, as Maynilad Water Services Inc. implements rate increase and Manila Water Co. rolls back its charges, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) announced.

MWSS chief regulator Patrick Lester Ty reported on Friday, Sept. 12, that Maynilad will see an increase in the monthly water rates from October to December of this year, while Manila Water will see a rollback.

With the recently approved tariff adjustments, West zone Maynilad customers consuming 10 cubic meters cu.m. or less (cu.m) will see their monthly bill go up by ₱0.40, from ₱181.60 in the third quarter to ₱182 starting October. Those using 20 cu.m. will face a ₱1.53 increase, from ₱682.72 to ₱684.25, while those consuming 30 cu.m. will see a ₱3.13 hike, from ₱1,394.81 to ₱1,397.94.

Meanwhile, East zone Manila Water customers will see lower rates in the fourth quarter. Those consuming 10 cu.m. will have a ₱0.64 reduction, from ₱254.49 to ₱253.85. For 20 cu.m., the bill will decrease by ₱1.43, from ₱562.72 to ₱561.29, while 30 cu.m. users will see a ₱2.91 drop, from ₱1,147.21 to ₱1,144.29.

These adjustments stem from the implementation of the Foreign Currency Differential Adjustment (FCDA), which will take effect on October 1. The FCDA is a mechanism reviewed every quarter, which allows Maynilad and Manila Water to recover losses or return gains from fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. These account for payments on foreign currency-denominated loans used to finance the expansion and improvement of the concessionaires’ water and wastewater services.

According to the MWSS chief, Maynilad will implement a -0.36 percent FCDA in the fourth quarter, equivalent to -₱0.19 per cubic meter based on its average basic charge of ₱51.40 per cu.m. While Manila Water would apply a 0.80 percent FCDA of its average basic charge of ₱47.10 per cu.m or ₱0.38 per cu.m.

“On 18 and 21 July 2025, Maynilad and Manila Water submitted their respective FCDA petitions, which were subsequently validated and evaluated by the MWSS RO (Regulatory Office),” Ty said.

The petitions were approved last September 4, allowing the two concessionaires to implement both a tariff increase and a decrease in their respective service areas.

Maynilad currently services parts of Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas, and Malabon, and certain portions of Cavite.

Manila Water, on the other hand, operates in certain areas of Makati, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, Marikina, Manila, Parañaque, and the provincial areas of Rizal.