Maynilad discloses plan to address algae problem

Maynilad Water Services Inc. said Thursday it has reiterated its proposal to the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) to build a polder or dike to address the issue af algal bloom in the body of water.

"We need also to build a structure in the lake, a polder. It's like a mini man-made dike so that the algae will not enter," Maynilad president and CEO Ramoncito Fernandez said in a press briefing in Makati City.

"Most of the time, algae just floats. So as long as we can get the water from under di namin masu-suck 'yung algae," Fernandez said.

Maynilad announced that customers in portions of Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, and Cavite will continue to experience low pressure to no water supply until May 14, 2019.

"Nag-propose na kami ng polder sa LLDA, they were not keen about it. Last year, ayaw nila magtayo ng additional structure sa loob ng lake," Fernandez said.

"But now, kaninang umaga pumunta na yung mga tao namin dun to reiterate our request para mabawasan 'tong problema. Hopefully they'll be more open," he said.

The Maynilad chief, however, said the company does not have an estimate of the cost of building its proposed polder.

"No estimate, but definitely it's worth investing on. Proposal was rejected so di namin pinursue yung detailed study--how deep it is, how thick, etc. Wala pa kaming go signal sa LLDA eh. Hopefully makinig na now," Fernandez said.

Maynilad has treatment facilities in the Laguna lake - Putatan water treatment facilities (PWTP 1 and 2). The treatment plants have a combined capacity of 250 million liters per day (MLD).

The company said it has increased the capacity to 125 million liters per day (MLD) from a low of 80 MLD as it continues to address the algae problem.

In the meantime, Maynilad said 40 mobile water tankers are currently doing the rounds in "severely affected" areas to provide potable water to customers.

Maynilad is the West Zone concessionaire of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), which includes certain portions of the cities of Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Manila, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Quezon, Valenzuela, and areas in Cavite such as Bacoor, Imus, Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario. — BAP, GMA News