Manila Water’s Laguna Lake intake facility completed by Q3

MANILA, Philippines — East Zone concessionaire Manila Water Co. Inc. said its critical raw water intake facility in Laguna Lake would be completed by the third quarter, boosting water security in its concession area.

Manila Water said the raw water intake structure for the East Bay Phase 2 water treatment plant is now 92 percent complete.

The P525-million project launched in June 2023 was designed to draw 200 million liters per day of raw water from Laguna Lake, boosting the water supply for over two million residents in Pasig, Pateros and Taguig.

“As the intake structure takes shape, we are also constantly improving and expanding our network distribution,” said Jeric Sevilla, Manila Water’s communication affairs group director.

“We greatly appreciate the support of our partner local government units and different stakeholders whose collaboration has been instrumental in pushing this project forward,” he said.

The water utility firm said the establishment of the water intake structure will diversify its water sources and reduce its reliance on Angat Dam.

“Once operational, it will significantly enhance water service reliability, especially during dry seasons and support the growing demands of the East Zone,” Manila Water said.

The company said extensive marine works, including the installation of 1,000mm-diameter submarine pipelines that will transport water from offshore sources to the treatment facility, would complement the raw water intake system.

Additionally, a new pump and electrical room is being constructed to house advanced control systems and automation technologies, ensuring seamless operation and energy efficiency.

Manila Water earlier disclosed it is now serving 7.84 million customers as of end-April. The increase in its customer base was achieved through its expansion initiatives and efforts to install new water service connections.

In April, Manila Water installed 1,443 new water service connections, comprising 1,367 domestic and 76 combined commercial and industrial connections. The domestic connections included 1,046 regular and 321 non-regular connections, such as individualization and other specialized installations.

“This brings the year-to-date total to 6,990 new domestic connections and 294 commercial/industrial connections, for a combined 7,284 new water service connections in the first four months of 2025,” Manila Water said.