Manila Water to spend P833M for service expansion projects in Rizal

Manila Water Company Inc. on Wednesday said it is set to spend P833 million for projects slated for implementation this year, including 23 mainline extension and individualization projects.

According to the east zone concessionaire, the project pipeline includes 11 extension projects in several municipalities in Rizal — five in Baras; four in Rodriguez; and two in Binangonan.

It is also set to complete 10 mainline extension projects in Antipolo City — two in Sitio Tanza and Talosa Ville; two in Barangay Calawis; two in Cabading and Heroes Ville; one in Sitio Painuman and Sitio Kalakad; one in Pedro Bianca Homes and Sitio Culasisi; one in Boso-Boso; and one in Queenstock Heights.

Individualization projects are also set to be undertaken in the Town and Country Executive Village in Antipolo and the Aurora Subdivision in Angono.

“Once these projects are completed, they are expected to bring better water quality, pressure, and supply to a total of 45,205 families in Rizal,” the company said in an emailed statement.

The company is set to invest a total capital expenditure of P2.8 billion for its service expansion program, as earmarked under the P181-billion Service Improvement Plan for 2023-2027.

“Priorities for service expansion include the underserved and still-unserved areas as well as marginalized communities in its service area particularly in booming Rizal Province,” it said.

“Despite challenges in terrain, Manila Water continuously reaches out to its customers, extending its water network and constructing new facilities even in the highest and farthest parts of Rizal to provide water access to its new customers, and better service for their existing customers,” it added.

The company said it installed some 33,070 new domestic water service connections in the past year, equivalent to 165,350 families with uninterrupted water supply and sanitation services.

This brought the firm’s total number of domestic connections to 1.095 million as of end-2022.

Manila Water is set to increase rates until it reaches P20.37 per cubic meter in 2027, given the expenses undertaken to improve services. Maynilad Water Services Inc. is also set to hike rates during the time period.

The Razon-led firm has the exclusive right to provide water and used water services to the east zone of the franchise area of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), which services 23 cities and municipalities in Metro Manila and Rizal.

These include Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, Marikina, and parts of Quezon City and Manila. The towns of Angono, Baras, Binangonan, Cainta, Cardona, Jalajala, Morong, Pililia, Rodriguez, Tanay, Taytay, Teresa, San Mateo and Antipolo in the province of Rizal are also part of the East Zone.

Shares in Manila Water were trading down by P0.54 or 2.71% at P19.36 apiece as of 11:22 a.m. on Wednesday. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/KG, GMA Integrated News