MANILA, Philippines — Following complaints of inaccurate schedules in water service interruption, Ayala-led Manila Water vowed to "achieve predictability" on their schedules.
Last week, the water service provider announced that it would be implementing operational adjustments in the east concession zone.
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Several cities in Metro Manila and areas in Rizal province experience "low pressure to no water" supply during peak demand hours.
However, even areas not included in the list of areas that would experience interrupted water services were affected.
Manila Water COO Geodino Carpio explained that when customers, including those in non-affected areas, saved water after the announcement, the water level in their reservoirs were also depleted.
"Maraming nagalit na customers and I understand completely na nagalit sila sa amin dahil nawalan sila ng tubig eh wala naman sila sa listahan," Carpio said in a televised press conference.
(Many consumers got angry, and I understand completely that they got angry at us because they didn't have water even if they weren't on the list)
The water concessionaire is now trying to address this issue by making their reservoirs recover to attain normalcy in distribution of water supply.
"Sa gabi tataas nang konti ang reservoir pero hindi pa 'yan napupuno. So we are looking at a solution today na perhaps we will force a very low pressure area para lang mapuno ang reservoir," the Manila Water executive said.
(At night, the reservoir rises a little but it doesn't get filled. So we are looking at a solution today that perhaps we will force a very low pressure area just to give the reservoir time to get filled.)
Carpio also admitted that the predictability of water service interruption is quite difficult to achieve at the moment.
"That's hard to tell... So far nung huli kami nag-ikot medyo tumatama ang aming prediction kung kailan magkakatubig. 'Yung kailan mawawala minsan mapapaaga so we are trying our best to achieve predictability and I understand that's very, very important to customers," Carpio said.
(That's hard to tell... So far, the last time we went around, we had accurate predictions on when supply would be interrupted. Sometimes there is no water ahead of when we predicted, so we are trying our best to achieve predictability and I understand that's very, very important to customers.)
Meanwhile, west zone concessionaire Maynilad said it will share additional supply to Manila Water to ease the water shortage in Metro Manila and nearby areas.
Maynilad is set to hold a cross-border flow or water sharing of 50 million liters per day to Manila Water starting April.
Manila Water is hopeful that an agreement with Maynilad on water sharing would be settled within the week.
"It's a technical discussion at this point. We are looking for the optimal point where we can have a cross-water flow that will not impact our withdrawal from Angat (Dam) that much," Carpio said. — Patricia Lourdes Viray