Maynilad customer base breaches 1 M as of 2012

MANILA, Philippines - West Zone Water concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. announced over the weekend that its customer base grew 58 percent ending in 2012 since the water concessionaire was taken over by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) and DMCI Holdings Inc.

Maynilad said its customer base rose to 1.073 million accounts by the end of 2012 from 677,985 accounts in 2006.

Of its current customers, 96 percent have 24-hour uninterrupted water supply, a significant increase from the 32 percent in  2006. 

Meanwhile, 99.8 percent of its customers now have water pressure of at least seven pounds per square inch (psi). It takes about seven psi for water to reach the second floor of a building.

MPIC and DMCI took over control of Maynilad from the Lopez family in 2007. From 2007 to 2012, Maynilad spent a total of P37.85 billion to improve water and wastewater infrastructure in the concession area.  

“Transforming water services in the West Zone is just the start for us. We still have a long way to go in terms of wastewater coverage and water security. But with the committed support of our public partner and other stakeholders, I am confident that we can achieve even more in the next five years,” said Maynilad president and CEO Ricky P. Vargas said.

For 2013, the company is investing P17.2 billion for water and wastewater projects. The investment for water service infrastructure this year is more than double its capital expenditure of P8.4 billion in 2012.

Around P9.303 billion of the P17.2 billion capital investment will go to the construction of wastewater facilities in several areas of the West Zone, such as Sewage Treatment Plants and conveyance systems for Valenzuela, Pasay and Muntinlupa.

Some P3.762 billion will be spent for the laying of new infrastructure (pipelines, pumping stations and reservoirs) that will provide potable water supply in unserved portions of North Caloocan, Valenzuela and Novaliches in Quezon City, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Imus, Kawit, Bacoor, and Cavite City.

Meanwhile, P2.134 billion has been allotted for Maynilad’s Non-Revenue Water (NRW) reduction program, which covers meter and pressure management, active leakage control, primary line assessment, selective pipe replacement, and District Metered Area management.

Key company facilities such as pumping stations and reservoirs will be upgraded using a budget of P384 million, while P960 million will go to water source development.

The rest of the 2013 infrastructure budget will go to other initiatives such as the building of other facilities for operations support programs.

As approved by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), Maynilad raised it water rates beginning Jan. 1, 2013 in consideration of changes in inflation and foreign exchange rates.