Pressure valves improve water pressure in West Zone

MAYNILAD customers can expect increased water pressure and longer water availability with the installation of some 127 pressure-regulating valves (PRVs) in select points of the West Zone.

The PRV project is in line with the company's initiative to utilize new technologies that will enable it to better manage water pressure in the mainlines.

According to Maynilad's Hydraulic Modeling Group manager Archie Tolentino, the PRVs will help Maynilad to better control the flow of water along the pipelines so it can reach more customers at the time of day when they need it most. “The immediate benefit is that excessive pressure during low-demand hours can be contained and used to fill-up existing reservoirs for peak hour supply requirements,” he said.

This early, benefits from PRV installation along Gov. Pascual in Malabon is starting to be felt. Residents of UE Village, Caloocan, used to have only a five-hour supply window from 12 midnight to 5 a.m. at 1 to 3 psi. Now, their water comes in from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 5 to 8 psi.

Zone M-4 Head Lito Guevarra and Technical Manager Quirico Arellano of Maynilad's Malabon Business Center discuss the improved water situation at UE Subdivision with Leni Roque, wife of Brgy. 80 kagawad Alfredo Roque, after Maynilad installed pressure regulating valves in some areas of the West Zone.

Leni Roque, wife of Brgy. 80 kagawad Alfredo Roque and resident of UE Subdivision, affirms that water supply and quality has improved in their area. “ Malamag iyan po ang dahilan kung bakit dumami ang mga bata dito sa lugar namin ,” she smiles.

Along Reparo area, similar pressure improvements have taken place as homes and establishments experienced water pressure increase from 5 psi. to 10 psi. during the daytime.

Tolentino said at least 127 PRVs have already been installed, majority of which are in Malabon, South Caloocan and North Caloocan.

“Presently ongoing is batch two composed of 70 PRVs,” he revealed. “The number of PRVs that still has to be installed will depend on the number of remaining diagnostic subzones that has to be established—about 1,000 more PRVs (on a 500 Water Service Connection per subzone) in the next three years.”

Maynilad's Water Network SAVP Rodrigo Yabut said the impact of the PRVs to the system is evident in the increased pressure along the trunkline from an average of 10 psi. to 25 psi. during daytime. “This was made possible because the water culled by the PRVs is collected at the reservoirs, making possible the release of the supply to areas when they need it.”

Yabut added that the PRVs have made unnecessary the valving activities that had to be done regularly to control water flow.

Maynilad has installed 127 pressure-regulating valves (PRVs) in select points of the West Concession, with more to be added in the next three years as part of the goal to further improve the delivery of water to its customers. The use of PRVs, which is part of the company's initiative to utilize new technologies, will allow Maynilad to better control the flow of water along the pipelines so it can reach more customers at the time of day when they need it most.

The installation of PRVs is a major part of Maynilad's P44-billion capital expenditure program from 2008 to 2012 to improve service levels, increase water pressure and availability, and reduce Non-Revenue Water.