Deep wells set to cover half of Manila Water undersupply —MWSS

Half of the deficit in Manila Water Co.’s supply will be covered by deep wells, according to Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) official.

In an interview on News To Go on Wednesday, MWSS administrator Reynaldo Velasco said they already identified sources that can help ease the current water problem faced by Manila Water.

“Pinapa-activate namin 'yung kanilang  mga deep well because according to them that could deliver about 100 million (liters of water per day),” Velasco said.

Manila Water chief operating officer Geodino Carpio said MWSS has allocated them 1,600 million liters of water per day (mld) from the Angat Dam. But Carpio said the demand for water is over 1,700 mld which means there is a deficiency of around 200 mld.

The insufficient supply resulted to Manila Water implementing water service interruptions in several areas to save more water for the coming months.

To solve the crisis immediately, MWSS and Manila Water identified deep wells as sources that can supply 100 mld. Maynilad will also share 50 mld to Manila Water. All in all, water from deep wells and Maynilad will amount to 150 mld for Manila Water.

The other 50 mld which will complete the 200 mld needed will come from the treatment plant of Manila Water in Cardona, Rizal which they projected to open this March.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Carpio said the Cardona Treatment Plant could have started operating in December last year. It was delayed due to some issues with the contractor’s design.

In fact, according to Carpio, the Cardona Treatment Plant was originally constructed for contingencies such as the current water crisis. 

With the activation of deep wells, the sharing of water supply by Maynilad, and the opening of the Cardona Treatment plant, the water crisis will be solved soon, depending on how fast Manila Water works, Velasco said.

“Hopefully hindi na magtatagal ito, depende kung gaano sila kabilis ayusin ito. Makaka-caught up sila,” Velasco said. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News