P80 M Maynilad pipelines bring water to Malabon barangays

THE water woes of Barangays Concepcion, Ibaba, San Agustin and Tañong in Malabon have finally been solved after Maynilad Water Services Inc. invested P80.36 million in the total replacement of old and leaking pipelines to improve service levels in the area.

Maynilad's Total Rehabilitation Project for the central part of Malabon City involved laying 22.6 kilometers of new pipelines in different streets and alleys of the four barangays with an estimated population of 33,262.

After the five-month construction period from March to July 2007, residents immediately felt the improvement in their water supply. From only 4,600 existing water service connections (WSCs), the number of WSCs increased to 5,491, all of which receive ample supply at a pressure ranging from a minimum of 7 psi. to a maximum of 15 psi.

One of the beneficiaries is Nicanora Rondario, 69, resident of 2 nd Street, Brgy. Tañong. She said that all houses in their area have booster pumps because of prevalent low water pressure. “ Matapos palitan yung mga tubo , okay na . Kahit hindi na kami magsaksak ng motor .”

Nicanora Rondario of Brgy. Tañong, Malabon, doesn't have to worry about her plants going thirsty after Maynilad invested P80 million to totally replace old and leaking pipelines in central Malabon, effectively addressing water woes of residents in the area.

This claim was supported by Aurora Naval, who said that houses along Camus St., Brgy. San Agustin enjoy 24-hour water supply. “ Maganda ang tubig sa amin . Sabi noon sa akin nung taga Maynilad, hindi na kami gagamit ng motor pagkatapos ng project nila . Totoo nga naman ! Nakamenos kami sa kuryente ,” she happily related.

The only complaint of Rosanna Pambid, barangay secretary of Brgy. San Agustin, is that her water bill has increased from P100 to P200 a month with their increased consumption following the improved water supply to her house.

The project enabled Maynilad to recover 18 MLD (million liters per day) of water that used to be lost due to leaks and illegal connections. This recovered water supply is now being redistributed through the network to reach other areas that need it.

According to Quirico Arellano, Maynilad technical manager for the Malabon/Navotas Business Center, complaints of no supply and low water quality were rife among residents before the water network in this area was upgraded.

Arellano said that more projects benefiting other areas in Malabon are included in the P44-billion capital expenditure program that Maynilad intends to implement from 2008 to 2012 to improve service levels, increase water pressure and availability, and reduce Non-Revenue Water.

Maynilad's Malabon Business Center technical manager Quirico Arellano and Zone M-4 head Lito Guevarra (first and second from left, respectively) in a meeting with Brgy. San Agustin officials including Barangay Secretary Rosanna Pambid (extreme right) to discuss remaining concerns after the implementation of Maynilad's P80 million Total Rehabilitation Project in central Malabon.