West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. has earmarked more than ₱7 billion this year to reduce its non-revenue water (NRW), or water that is produced but unbilled, bringing it closer to global benchmarks for efficient water services.

Maynilad central NRW head Ryan Jamora said the company is aiming to bring down its NRW level to 29 percent by the end of the year from 30.7 percent last year.

While the reduction is significantly smaller compared with last year’s 7.7-percentage-point (ppt) decline from 38.4 percent in 2024, this year’s target takes into consideration the construction of new pipes and the completion of other projects.

Jamora said the 29-percent goal is well within the company’s five-year business plan to reduce NRW levels, as approved by its regulator, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

Under the plan, Maynilad is targeting to reduce NRW to 25 percent by next year, and further to 20 percent by 2030.

According to the company, the 20-percent level is widely recognized in the water industry as an efficient benchmark for utilities serving large urban areas.

Maynilad previously outlined funding of over ₱31 billion to achieve its target from 2023 to 2027, of which ₱7.7 billion, or roughly a quarter, is allotted for this year.

“For now, the investment and resources that can be allocated are really aligned to deliver those targets, especially the 25 percent,” Jamora said.

NRW, which is unbilled to customers, is largely driven by water leaks due to aging pipe systems, as well as illegal connections and unauthorized withdrawals, albeit to a lesser degree.

For the year, Jamora said more than half of the planned NRW spending will be allocated for the replacement of legacy pipelines, particularly in Valenzuela City.

Further, he said initiatives this year will also support expanded leakage control activities, network diagnostics, and the evaluation of emerging technologies to improve leak localization and field response efficiency.

At present, Maynilad is leveraging data-driven interventions to focus its resources on areas where measures can deliver the greatest operational benefit while minimizing disruption to communities.

The company has been working to address water loss since the West Zone concession was turned over to private hands in 1997, when the NRW level stood at around 67 percent.

Jamora said decreasing the NRW level will help address insufficient water pressure and persistent supply disruptions, on top of supporting water conservation efforts.

In terms of the company’s topline, lower NRW also helps keep operating expenses (opex) stable, which inched up by only 1.5 percent last year.

Fresh from its listing on the local bourse, Maynilad reported that its consolidated net income rose 19 percent to ₱15.2 billion in 2025 from ₱12.8 billion the previous year.