Manila residents complain of mud-colored, foul-smelling water amid shortage

Residents of Sampaloc, Manila are complaining about heavily discolored and foul-smelling water supply in their area amid service interruptions.

According to a report by Lei Alviz in GMA's 24 Oras on Tuesday, the water that comes out of faucets in Barangays 581 and 578 had been in an "unacceptable" state for two days now.

"It's brown, muddy, and then there's a foul smell. You cannot use it at all even for simple washing hindi talaga, it's dirty. Please fix this. We need action and this is unacceptable," said an affected customer.

Same is the case in Barangay 584.

"Parang kape, pinost ko nga milk tea, black pearl na lang ang kulang," said resident Delfin Aquino.

Some of the customers stayed up until early Tuesday to collect water but the quality did not improve much.

"Binuksan ko lang. Kaya lang ang problema, habang bukas 'yan, 'yung metro tumatakbo eh," said another resident.

Some just strategized by letting the residues settle at the bottom of the water container.

"Pinatining na lang muna saka 'yun nga, pambuhos na lang siya bale," added Aquino.

Maynilad, on the other hand, said that the discoloration may have been caused by mineral residues in the water pipes.

"May mga isolated cases na nakikita na medyo matindi ang discoloration. Posibleng ito ay dahil kaunti na rin ang tubig sa primary lines kung saan marami nang accumulated mineral deposits," said Jen Rufo, head of Maynilad's Corporate Communications unit.

"Ang magagawa naman po natin ay dadagdagan namin ang aming flushing points dito sa mga lugar na ito para maibsan itong antas ng discoloration," she added.

Maynilad said that mud-colored water was not advisable for drinking.

They advised the public to just use it for flushing toilets. —Dona Magsino/NB, GMA News