‘Very difficult’ for 3rd water service provider to enter — MWSS, Maynilad

Officials of Maynilad Water Services Inc. and of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) seemed unwelcoming to the idea of a third water company servicing Metro Manila.

"There are certain kinds of businesses po na mahirap ang multiple players," Maynilad spokesperson Jen Rufo said at a Wednesday news forum in Manila, when asked if a new provider is needed on the heels of water service interruptions in parts of the National Capital Region and Rizal.

As an analogy, she said several electricity service providers would mean erecting different utility poles on each street corner. In the same way, she said, more water providers would mean separate pipelines.

Maynilad engineer Ronaldo Padua agreed, saying it would be "very difficult" for a different company to lay new pipes not only underneath Metro Manila's congested streets, but also inside homes and establishments.

He described Maynilad's biggest pipes as measuring 3.2 meters in diameter.

MWSS official Patrick Dizon also stressed that underground telephone and electric cables already take up space alongside existing water pipes.

There are currently two water service providers in Metro Manila: Maynilad and the Manila Water Company, Inc.

Manila Water recently came under fire for water service interruptions in the metro and has said it would waive the March consumption bill of customers in severely affected areas. — BM, GMA News