Maynilad, Manila Water suspend meter reading during quarantine

Water concessionaires Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Company Inc. announced on Saturday that they had temporarily suspended meter readings and onsite billing activities due to the enhanced community quarantine over Luzon.

Maynilad said that the suspension of their meter reading and other onsite work began on March 20 and would last until the end of the quarantine period on April 14.

“Consequently, the next Maynilad water bills that will be issued to affected customers would be computed based on their average consumption for the past three months,” it said.

“Corrections will just be applied to subsequent bills once Maynilad is able to resume the actual reading of meters,” it added.

The move is being taken in support of government initiatives to contain the spread of COVID-19, and also to protect the health and wellbeing of its customers and service providers, according to the water concessionaire.

“Maynilad is encouraging its customers to pay their bills via online banks or mobile fund transfer channels,” it said.

Manila Water meanwhile said that it had temporarily suspended its meter reading and billing activities since March 17, 2020, and the suspension would continue until further notice.

The current water bill of its customers would be computed based on the average consumption for the past three months.

Manila Waters added that any difference versus actual consumption would be reflected and charges would be adjusted on the customers’ next bill when Manila Water resumes read-and-bill operations.

Normal billing processes would be observed once the government officially confirmed the end of the enhanced community quarantine.

Manila Waters' move was out of concern for the health and safety of its customers, as well as that of its employees and service providers, and in support of the government’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. — DVM, GMA News