MANILA, Philippines - Manila Water now provides 24/7 access to all barangays covered under its central distribution system.
In ensuring efficient water supply to eastern Metro Manila and several towns of Rizal, Manila Water has expanded its 24/7 water availability from only 26 percent in 1997 to more than 99 percent today.
Wastewater coverage has also reached a wider 16 percent coverage from only three percent during the same period, thus benefiting over 6.1 million Filipinos to date.
It further revealed that since the onset of the privatization in 1997, Manila Water has already spent more than P50 billion to improve the water and wastewater infrastructure in the East Zone, which included pipe rehabilitation and replacement and programs covering the construction of combined sewer and drainage system in managing and treating domestic wastewater.
A major milestone is the reduction of system losses pegged at a high 63 percent in 1997 to an all-time low of 11 percent to date.
Notably, such significant reduction in system losses was unprecedented in the history of the water industry that even at the onslaught of El Niño, Manila Water still enabled potable water to be continually available for East Zone residents.
Furthermore, water recovery programs have also addressed the needed water demand for the mountain areas of San Mateo, Rodriguez, and Antipolo.
These programs included a combination of technical and social interventions that involved pipe laying, meter replacement, and curbing illegal connections via the company’s flagship program Tubig Para Sa Barangay or Water for the Community.
As a result of this approach, Manila Water was conferred last year the prestigious Project Innovation Award from the International Water Association.
Further expansion
With water already available at home, Manila Water has further expanded and made safe, potable and affordable water accessible to the vital public service institutions such as schools, hospitals, public markets, orphanages, and even jails and detention centers.
Significant developments were also achieved in the area of wastewater services. Manila Water has built and rehabilitated a total of 36 sewage treatment plants that treat domestic wastewater before it is discharged to water bodies.
These sewage treatment plants have greatly reduced pollution in the major rivers straddling Metro Manila. Also, the company has intensified its septic tank desludging program to ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act.
To date, the company serves the parts of Manila and Quezon City, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, Pateros, Makati and Taguig and several towns of Rizal province, including San Mateo, Rodriguez, Cainta, Taytay, Angono, Binangonan, Baras, and Jaja-jala, and Antipolo City.
100% very good customer rating
Recent independent survey on the Public Assessment on Water Services conducted by the University of the Philippines National Engineering Center also revealed that for the 339 barangays that were surveyed, Manila Water received the highest rating (very good) from all the barangays.
Overall, Manila Water got “very good” performance rating, the highest in five-class qualitative scoring system.
The survey was done using three performance categories: network quality, water quality, and service quality.
Network Quality indicators included supply and pressure while water quality indicators included smell, color, taste and presence of foreign bodies.
Service quality is being rated based on response to complaints, whether billing, water interruptions, customer inquiry or service complaints. This is the third time in a row that Manila Water garnered the highest ratings in the said annual survey.