To protect the water supply of its costumers and combat water loss, Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) is launching the Sugpuin ang Ilegal na Koneksyon AgaD (SIKAD) program, which aims to eradicate illegal connections in the West Zone.
Maynilad’s SIKAD program encourages the public to report illegal connections of commercial and industrial establishments. For each confirmed illegal connection, a concerned citizen who made the report can earn a minimum of P15,000 or go as high as P120,000 as reward. The incentive is determined by how big is the under-collection charge of the reported illegal connection.
Christopher J. Lichauco, Maynilad’s Head of Business Area Operations, said that SIKAD is the latest initiative under Maynilad’s intensified campaign against non-revenue water (NRW).
“We want to tap into the Filipino’s sense of heroism. Water is a precious resource. We need to make sure it is utilized efficiently and managed in an optimal manner. The campaign to eradicate illegal connections plays a big part in making sure this happens,” said Lichauco.
The campaign will run for six months, from April 1 to September 30, 2011. It will cover commercial and industrial establishments having any of these illegality types: tampered meters, by-pass connections, double tapping, and unregistered connections.
For more information about the SIKAD program, Maynilad encourages the public to call its Customer Service Department at 981-3485 or 0928-5011926.
The SIKAD program complements Maynilad’s strengthened leak repair campaign. In 2010 alone, Maynilad was able to fix more than 40,000 leaks and consequently recover over 200 million liters of water per day. The company is also continuing its pipe replacement program to modernize and improve the pipe network in its concession area.
Maynilad recently announced that it would spend P2.6 billion in 2011 to fund its programs that will bring down water loss. Several water districts in the country have formed Twinning partnerships with Maynilad to learn best practices in driving down NRW.
Maynilad President Ricky P. Vargas affirms the initiative. “Maynilad is continuously engaging in innovative and effective ways to reduce water loss. The hard-won learnings we have uncovered in battling NRW in our concession area—which has the oldest pipe network in Asia—is something we bring when we work with water companies everywhere. After all, water loss is a concern not just in the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, but also in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. We need to work together to protect this precious resource,” said Vargas.
Maynilad serves the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (all but portions of San Andres and Sta. Ana), Quezon City (west of San Juan River, West Avenue, EDSA, Congressional, Mindanao Avenue, the northern part starting from the Districts of the Holy Spirit and Batasan Hills), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon—all in Metro Manila; Cavite City, and the towns of Bacoor, Imus, Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario—all in Cavite Province.
PHOTO CAPTION: Maynilad intensifies the war against water loss by rallying the public against illegal connections through the SIKAD program.
