Maynilad service enhancement program to mitigate climate change impact; promote sustainability

West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) has laid out a five-year service enhancement program that will promote water sustainability by addressing climate change impacts on water sources.

Climate change is both a local and global concern, and the water sector is particularly vulnerable to its impact as it limits the availability of raw water supply. Given the growing demand for water, Maynilad is focusing on the development of alternate and climate-independent raw water sources, as well as the protection of existing sources to improve service reliability.

Among the new water sources currently being developed is the Poblacion treatment facility, which will draw from Laguna Lake to produce 150 million liters per day (MLD) of potable water for the southern part of Maynilad’s concession area. The company is also constructing two more modular treatment plants in Cavite, getting raw water from nearby rivers to produce a combined 24 MLD of additional supply.

Meanwhile, Maynilad’s initial foray into the utilization of climate-independent water sources via potable water reuse will likewise yield more water for distribution. It constructed a NEW WATER Treatment Plant, which puts the treated effluent of its Parañaque Water Reclamation Facility through a rigorous purification process to make it potable. The company now produces 10 MLD of NEW WATER supply, and is looking to expand output by tapping its other sewage treatment plants as raw water source.

Maynilad’s NEW WATER is the first potable water reuse application in the Philippines, and the first “direct potable reuse” initiative in Asia. Potable water reuse closes the loop between water supply and wastewater disposal, promoting a transition to a circular economy that ensures better use of finite resources.

Besides developing these additional sources of water, Maynilad is also pursuing environmental management activities to protect existing raw water sources. It partners with companies under the MVP Group, other private entities, civic organizations, local communities, and government agencies to increase the pace of reforesting denuded watersheds while pursuing interventions to ensure the high survival rate of tree saplings and mangrove propagules, which currently is at 84%.

Collected rainwater is also a resource that can stretch available supplies. Hence, Maynilad donates rainwater harvesting facilities to public schools that are located in areas of its concession where supply is still limited.

Tree planting not only protects raw water quality by preventing soil erosion in the watersheds, it also helps with carbon sequestration, which is essential to reducing the greenhouse gases that lead to global warming. Maynilad has been able to reduce its carbon emissions by around 25,000 tons per year with its “Plant for Life” program. These reforestation activities—along with its shift to renewables through the use of solar power for running facilities, the transition to e-vehicles, and the sustained process improvements in Maynilad facilities—will allow the company to be Climate Neutral by year 2037.

In light of the intensified effects of climate change, there is a compelling need to step up efforts on watershed protection. Both the public and private sectors have crucial roles to play in pushing this agenda and producing tangible results.

Maynilad implementing its climate resilience initiatives in support of the water security master plan of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System. Through these efforts, Maynilad will be able to ensure the sustainability of water supply for its over 9.5 million customers.