Mla Water opens first solar-powered treatment plant

MANILA, Philippines - Ayala-led Manila Water Co. Inc. has inaugurated the country’s first solar-powered water treatment facility, the South Septage Treatment Plant (SpTP), at the Food Terminal Complex in Taguig City.

“This is part of our continuing efforts to conserve energy through the use of renewable energy,” Manila Water operations group director Geodino Carpio said.

He said the solar-powered treatment facility, which costs P8.09 million, is expected to reduce SpTP’s power consumption by 20 to 30 percent. 

He said this translates to more than 9,000 kilowatt-hour monthly savings or about 110,000 killowatt-hour savings annually.

Carpio said the launch of the solar powered plant is among the measures Manila Water has implemented to help reduce power costs in its facilities.

The grid- tied solar-powered facility consists of a photovoltaic array, inverter, breaker box and meter.  

Photovoltaic panels convert solar energy to direct current which is converted to alternating current by the inverters. Breaker box provides an interconnection point to the consumer or grid while the meter provides measurement of the actual power generated by the facility.

Besides benefits in reduced power bills, generated power is effectively utilized because there are no storage losses besides being environment-friendly.

Through various energy efficiency initiatives, the East Zone water system concessionaire also became the first Philippine company, through its 10 facilities, to be certified with the prestigious ISO 50001:2011 mark for Energy Management System from the Certification International Philippines.  

 â€œThe company expresses its deep appreciation for the new recognition, adding that the certification is a further testament to Manila Water’s pioneering efforts in energy management by using appropriate energy-efficient technologies to reduce volume in power cost and consumption,” Carpio said.

Cited by the ISO certification are the energy management initiatives implemented in the company’s five water pumping stations:the Balara Pumping Station, Kingsville, San Juan Reservoir and Pumping Station, Fort Bonifacio and Siruna Reservoirs and Pumping Stations, as well as five of its sewage treatment plants, namely Makati South Sewage Treatment Plant, FTI Septage Treatment Plant in Taguig City, East Avenue Sewage Treatment Plant, UP Sewage Treatment Plant and Pineda Sewage Treatment Plant in Pasig City.

According to Certification International, ISO 50001 is intended to recognize companies such as Manila Water for implementing a framework that integrates energy performance into the company’s management and operational practices.

Manila Water is the sole provider of water and wastewater services to more than six million people in the East Zone of Metro Manila. It provides services to residents of parts of Quezon City and Manila, Marikina, Pasig, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Pateros, Makati, Taguig and Rizal province.