Maynilad targets 18-million liters water recovery with ₱2.5-billion Manila pipe upgrade
West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. is relocating three kilometers of its pipe system in Paco, Manila, as part of a major network upgrade aimed at recovering millions of liters of lost water.
Maynilad said in a statement that it is replacing 1,350-millimeter (mm) pipes along the Philippine National Railways (PNR) alignment near Paco-Sta. Mesa Road with a new 2,000-mm mainline spanning eight kilometers.
The ₱2.55 billion project will improve water distribution in the city, according to Ramoncito Fernandez, Maynilad President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
“Through this project, we’re investing in higher-capacity infrastructure intended to enhance water distribution in Manila,” Fernandez said. “By reducing losses from leaks and illegal connections, more clean water can reach households that need it.”
The project, scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2027, is expected to recover 18 million liters of water per day (MLD), enough to serve roughly 140,000 residents in Manila.
The effort is part of the company’s Non-Revenue Water (NRW) management program, which focuses on network diagnostics, leak detection and repair, pipe replacement, and meter management improvement.
Separately, West Zone concessionaire Manila Water Co. has expanded the integration of renewable energy (RE) into its operations through a partnership with Manila Electric Company’s (Meralco) MSpectrum.
Meanwhile, Manila Water announced last week that MSpectrum has installed an additional 3.8 megawatts-peak (MWp) of solar capacity across 10 facilities, including five pumping stations, two treatment plants, and three sewage treatment plants.
The water firm said the renewable capacity is intended to lower the risk of high power costs, particularly transmission and ancillary fees.
“This partnership can be a showcase not just in the Philippines but in the region as well,” said Jocot de Dios, Manila Water’s President and CEO. “I want Manila Water to be a beacon in the Asia Pacific for renewable energy in a water utility company.”
The company’s total solar installed capacity now stands at 6.3 MWp.