MWSS slaps financial penalties vs. Maynilad

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) has imposed financial penalties against concessionaire Maynilad Water Service Inc. for failing to provide services to its customers 24/7.

In a statement Friday, MWSS Chief Regulator Patrick Ty said Maynilad’s failure to provide round-the-clock service violates its obligations under the concession agreement.

“Due to Maynilad’s failure to meet its service and obligations under the Concession Agreement, a financial penalty has been imposed," Ty said.

“Maynilad has been ordered by the MWSS Board of Trustees to rebate to consumers that were severely affected in the identified area, the amount of P2,500 per water service connection/household.”

However, the concessionaire said it has not yet received any communication from the regulator.

“We have yet to receive from the MWSS RO the official notice pertaining to its decision on imposing a penalty,” Maynilad Corporate Communications head and spokesperson Jennifer Casipit-Rufo told GMA News Online.

“We will coordinate with our regulators to determine the rationale behind their decision and how they arrived at their computations. We will set our next course of action based on this discussion,” Rufo added.

According to MWSS, the rebate shall be applied to succeeding water bills or statements of account until fully accounted for.

Maynilad failed to service its customers in portions of Brgy. Captain Albert Aguilar (CAA) in Las Piñas City last May, the MWSS noted.

“Based on the evidence gathered by the MWSS Regulatory Office, it was determined that Maynilad customers who were severely affected in the above mentioned area were deprived of water service with a minimum pressure of seven psi (pounds per square inch) for a period of more than 15 days, which adversely affected the public health or welfare,” Ty said.

“The MWSS RO will facilitate the implementation of the rebate to all affected customers as soon as possible and would like to assure the public that it is doing everything in its powers to protect their interest.”

Both Maynilad and Manila Water have been implementing water service interruptions due to low water level at Angat Dam, the source of about 90% of Metro Manila’s water supply. —KBK/VDS, GMA News