The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Regulatory Office (MWSS RO) penalized Maynilad Water Services Inc. ₱54.28 million following a series of prolonged service interruptions that left more than 165,000 customers in the southern West Concession Area without reliable access to water.

In response, Maynilad has acknowledged the decision of the MWSS RO to impose a financial penalty over water service disruptions that affected parts of the southern area of its concession in March.

In a statement on Monday, April 20, the MWSS RO said the regulatory body determined that Maynilad breached its fundamental service obligation to maintain an uninterrupted 24-hour supply at a minimum pressure of seven pounds per square inch.

The service failures originated from the Putatan and Poblacion water treatment plants, impacting residents across Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, and Parañaque, as well as the Cavite cities of Imus and Bacoor.

Under the terms of the penalty, the ₱54.28 million fine will be redistributed to the 165,518 affected accounts through a direct billing rebate. Each service connection is slated to receive a credit of ₱327.96, which the regulator said will be reflected in May 2026 billing statements.

Regulators cited Executive Order No. 149, Series of 2021, as the legal framework for the sanction. The order grants the MWSS RO the authority to penalize concessionaires for verified contractual violations or failures to deliver efficient water and sanitation services.

While the specific technical triggers for the recent outages remain under review, the regulator plans to hold a public information drive on April 30 in coordination with Maynilad to provide further clarity to the affected communities.

Patrick Ty, MWSS RO chief regulator, reaffirmed the agency’s stance on concessionaire accountability, signaling that the office will continue to monitor performance metrics to ensure services remain available and equitable.

Beyond the financial penalty, the MWSS RO directed Maynilad to accelerate the implementation of technical solutions intended to stabilize the supply chain in the southern zones.

In a statement on Tuesday, April 21, Maynilad explained that these interruptions were linked to more prolonged and variable raw water quality conditions in Laguna Lake during amihan season, which required sustained operational adjustments at our treatment facilities to maintain compliance with the Philippine National Standards (PNS) for drinking water. These conditions led to reduced production levels during the period, it noted.

“We note that the challenges affecting raw water conditions persisted longer than initially anticipated. In response, Maynilad has been implementing additional operational and network measures to help stabilize supply and improve service reliability in the affected areas,” the company said.

“We will work closely with the MWSS RO in the implementation of the rebate program for affected customers and in providing the necessary information through the scheduled public information drive. Maynilad will comply with the decision of the MWSS RO,” it added.

Maynilad said it remains focused on strengthening the resilience of its southern water supply system, particularly during periods when weather conditions affect raw water intake from Laguna Lake. - Gabriell Christel Galang