Muntinlupa gov’t urges Maynilad to address water interruptions

The local government of Muntinlupa has called on top executives of Maynilad Water Services Inc. to address the water service interruptions in the city.

In two letters dated March 11, posted on Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon’s Facebook page, the city’s chief executive is summoning Maynilad’s top executives to address the water outages.

“It is lamentable that Maynilad is unable to properly inform its customers about the service interruption in a timely, efficient, and effective manner,” Biazon said. 

“Muntinlupeños are caught off guard and are unable to prepare. The uncertainty of service restoration also causes undue stress, inconvenience, and lost productivity,” he added. 

Biazon said the water interruptions are happening even as Maynilad operates two water treatment plants along Laguna de Bay.

The letters were addressed to Maynilad president and CEO Ramoncito Fernandez and chief operating officer Christopher Lichauco.

The Muntinlupa mayor also called for compensation for customers affected by the water interruptions.

“At the least, there should be a rebate to customers who have been deprived of the quality of service Maynilad is obligated to deliver to the people,” Biazon said.

On Friday, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System-Regulatory Office (MWSS-RO) announced it has imposed a P42.6-million fine against Maynilad for failure to provide uninterrupted services for thousands of customers within Muntinlupa’s Putatan Water Treatment Plant and Poblacion Water Treatment Plant supply zones. 

The penalty will be implemented in the form of bill rebates to 98,331 customers within the affected supply zones, equivalent to P432.92 per affected water service connection, which will be reflected in customers’ water bills by April 2026.

Maynilad said it would comply with the MWSS-RO's decision.

Maynilad responds

In a message to GMA News Online, Maynilad said it acknowledges the concerns of the Muntinlupa government.

"We remain open to meeting with the local government to provide a detailed explanation of the situation, including the operational adjustments made in response to weather-related changes in raw water conditions in Laguna Lake during the Amihan season,” the company said.

“Our teams have also been coordinating with local officials and community representatives on mitigation measures in affected areas, including the deployment of mobile water tankers and the dissemination of service advisories. Maynilad remains committed to working closely with the City Government of Muntinlupa to address concerns and to continue improving communication with affected communities,” it said.

The water concessionaire earlier explained that the interruptions were associated with weather-driven changes in raw water conditions in Laguna Lake, which required operational adjustments in their treatment facilities, including reductions in plant production levels to ensure that treated water continued to comply with the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water. 

“These conditions resulted in reduced treatment plant output during the period,” Maynilad said.

“We continue to implement operational improvements and infrastructure upgrades to strengthen the reliability of water supply in the southern portion of our concession area, particularly during periods when weather conditions affect raw water intake from Laguna Lake,” it said. —VBL, GMA Integrated News