Maynilad opens partial operations of La Mesa reservoir

Water concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. on Tuesday announced the partial operation of its raw water reservoir at the La Mesa Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Quezon City.

In a news release, Maynilad said the facility gives the La Mesa WTP a storage capacity of up to 67 million liters of raw water, helping stabilize supply during the dry season.

The initial use of one converted lagoon within the La Mesa WTP is intended to improve operational flexibility, particularly during periods of reduced inflows from the Angat–Ipo dam system due to lower rainfall or allocation adjustments, the company said.

The project is targeted for full completion by June 2026 and involves repurposing former sludge lagoons within the La Mesa compound into a six-meter-deep impounding reservoir capable of storing up to 200 million liters of raw water.

According to Maynilad, the lagoons, previously used for sludge handling in the treatment process, have been converted into a dedicated raw water storage facility, shifting their function from internal operations to system-level supply support.

Once fully operational, the reservoir will provide La Mesa WTP 1 with an additional raw water buffer, enabling more stable plant operations and helping sustain water service during periods of reduced inflow.

The facility may also serve as a settling basin during periods of elevated turbidity, allowing suspended particles in raw water to settle naturally before entering the treatment process.

“This facility enhances our ability to manage raw water variability and maintain stable treatment operations, particularly during periods of lower inflow or higher turbidity,” said Maynilad chief operating officer Christopher Jaime Lichauco.

Once completed, the facility will be Maynilad’s first dedicated raw water storage reservoir, complementing its 38 existing treated water reservoirs across the West Zone.

Maynilad is a concessionaire of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, which covers portions of Manila and Quezon City, Makati (west of South Super Highway), as well as Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas, and Malabon in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor, and Imus; and the municipalities of Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario in Cavite province.—MCG, GMA News