Manila Water says it closed 2024 with completion of major projects

East zone concessionaire Manila Water said Friday it ended 2024 with the completion of several major water and wastewater improvement projects, improving services for its over 7 million customers.

In a statement, Manila Water announced that the capital expenditure projects it completed last year address critical infrastructure for water security, environmental sustainability, service enhancement and upgrading, especially in geographically challenged areas in Rizal, and compliance with regulatory obligations.

The water distributor said 2024 marked the start of operations of Phase 1 of the East Bay Water Supply System, which now serves customers in several municipalities in Rizal.

The 50-million liter per day (MLD) facility is expected to provide potable water to 390,000 customers in Jalajala, Pililla, Baras, Cardona, Morong, and Binangonan, with the completion of the two submarine pipes traversing Laguna Lake.

The process of proving and final testing of the 80-MLD Calawis Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Antipolo City was also completed, providing additional water supply to more than 900,000 customers in Antipolo, Baras and Teresa.

Manila Water, meanwhile, added that the Cardona Water Treatment Plant in Cardona, Rizal has undergone a maximization program that increased its conveyance to 110 MLD from its initial 50 MLD.

The water concessionaire said that it also completed the construction of the 50-MLD Binangonan Pumping Station and 7-ML reservoir in Barangay Mahabang Parang, Binangonan.

Manila Water noted that the project is one of the key components of the East Bay Phase 1 Water Supply System and will play a crucial role in storing and conveying treated water from the source water treatment plant to distribution areas from the Morong Pump Station through a submarine line.

Moreover, the company said the Antipolo Transmission Line Project involves the installation of a nine-kilometer 1,600 millimeter-diameter steel pipe along Roman-Rojas and NHA Road in Teresa, Rizal up to the Boso-Boso Reservoir in Sitio Boso-Boso in Antipolo City.

It added that the project aims to provide additional and improved water service to more than one million customers in Antipolo, Teresa, Baras, Taytay and Angono.

The company added that it also embarked on the Antipolo Mainline Extension Project in Sitio Tanza and Tolosa Ville to expand its 24-hour water supply service to an additional 24,000 customers in Antipolo City.

The project includes the installation of a 280-mm high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe spanning 2.73 kms, as well as a 100-mm HDPE pipe stretching 2.99-kms, interconnected to the 1600-mm steel pipe along Marcos Highway, according to Manila Water.

Manila Water said its Darangan Bridge Pipelaying Project in Binangonan also improved water access for 20,000 households in Angono, Binangonan, Cainta, Taytay and Pasig City through the construction of an 800-mm steel pipe bridge spanning 26 linear meters along the Manila East Service Road.

Wastewater management projects

Regarding wastewater management, the company said it has taken on upgrades in East Avenue Sewage Treatment Plant's (STP) Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) System, which involves the conversion of the plant's existing Conventional Activated Sludge (CAS) process to Modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE) process, a more advanced treatment method that improves the removal of ammonia, nitrates, and phosphates from sewage.

Also in support of the Philippine Clean Water Act, Manila Water said it launched two sewer line improvement projects in Quezon City—the 1.95-km Kalayaan Sewer Replacement Package 2, and the 3.23-km Kalayaan Sewer Replacement Package 3.

It said that both sewer line packages include the replacement of the old concrete pipes with new and more cost-effective PVC pipes, manhole installation, clean-out installation, transfer of service connection, and connection of unsewered households and establishments.

The water distributor said its Marikina North STP and Terminal Pumping Station (TPS) also underwent major maintenance.

East Bay Water Supply System

Aside from the installation of additional sewage submersible pumps, Manila Water said cited the implementation of nominal diameter (DN) 400 and 500 pipes, a full-bore electro-magnetic flowmeter, and the integration of new soft starters with the existing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.

"As the new year starts, we welcome 2025 with a renewed commitment of delivering the best quality of service we can give our customers. Rest assured we will continue to embark on investments that will further realize this, this year and for the next years to come," said Jeric Sevilla, Manila Water Communication Affairs Group director.

For 2025, Manila Water said it is set to complete the Phase 2 of the East Bay Water Supply System, which includes the construction of a 200-MLD water treatment plant.

The East Bay Phase 2 WTP is a critical component of the East Bay Water Supply System, which is expected to serve a population of approximately 2.08 million people in Metro Manila and Rizal, according to the water distributor.

Moreover, it said that the Kaysakat WTP Project is already 48% completed as of December 2024 and is set to be finished in January 2026.

The project, Manila Water said, will add 220 MLD potable water supply that will benefit more than 1 million residents residing in Antipolo, Teresa, and Baras.

Projects in 2025

For this year as well, the company said that a new sewage treatment plant, the 60-MLD Aglipay STP project is expected to benefit over 652,000 residents in the catchment area in Mandaluyong City.

Manila Water said the project is anticipated to be fully operational by 2025, bringing much-needed improvement on water quality in local rivers, reduced pollution, and enhanced public health of the residents in Mandaluyong, San Juan and Quezon City.  

Also expected to be completed by September 2025, the company said Pinugay Septage Treatment Plant (SpTP) is set to rise in Barangay San Jose, Antipolo City.

With a capacity of treating 50 cubic meters of wastewater, the facility is projected to provide sanitation services to 150,000 residents of Baras, Teresa, Cardona, Jala-jala, and Morong.

As of October 2024, Manila Water said it is in service of a total of 7,760,095 customers.

Manila Water provides water and wastewater services to residents of the cities of Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, San Juan, Taguig, and Marikina; and Municipality of Pateros. It is also in charge of the southeastern parts of Quezon City, and Sta. Ana and San Andres in the City of Manila.

In the province of Rizal, it services the City of Antipolo, and municipalities of San Mateo, Rodriguez, Cainta, Taytay, Teresa, Angono, Baras, Binangonan, Jalajala, Cardona, Morong, Pilillia, and Tanay. — VDV/KG, GMA Integrated News