Residents fume as Sampaloc water outage passes 30 hours
A water outage lasting over 30 hours, compounded by repeated pipe bursts that caused flooding, made life difficult for several barangays in Sampaloc, Manila, fueling residents’ anger over delayed advisories and sluggish response.
The service interruption, caused by a damaged water line, reportedly began around 2 a.m. on Tuesday, June 16, and continued into Wednesday morning, June 17, affecting several communities.
Residents said the situation was worsened by a series of pipe bursts along Florentino Street and nearby Algeciras Street, which caused flooding that spilled into nearby homes.
Barangay officials and residents reported at least three separate incidents of pipe bursts, from Monday night, June 15, to Tuesday afternoon and again early Wednesday, June 17, each bringing renewed flooding and prolonged water loss.
In an update, the Manila city government said Maynilad Water Services had deployed its contractor to address a major secondary leak along Florentino Street, with repair works expected to be completed by noon.
Earlier, Maynilad said it was conducting emergency repairs at the corner of Algeciras and Florentino Streets to fix a leaking pipe and a damaged isolation valve, which triggered the service disruption.
However, residents took to social media to question why no earlier advisory had been issued, as the outage disrupted basic needs such as cooking, cleaning, and sanitation.
As the outage dragged on, some barangay leaders deployed fire trucks to distribute water to affected households, while Maynilad said it mobilized 16 water tankers to provide a temporary supply.
Even as floodwaters subsided, cleanup operations continued in affected areas, with residents and workers clearing mud and debris left by the overflowing water.
Maynilad apologized for the inconvenience and appealed for public understanding, while its contractor reportedly assured residents that damages resulting from the incident would be addressed.
As of this posting, residents continue to await the full restoration of water service, with some calling for clearer communication and faster response times to prevent similar disruptions in the future.