Maynilad invests P2.5B in water upgrade

Water users stand to gain from more reliable supply and stronger water pressure as West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. invests P2.55 billion in a major pipeline relocation and capacity-upgrade project in the City of Manila.

The newly listed company said Saturday that the project involves replacing about three kilometers of existing 1,350-millimeter pipes along the Philippine National Railways alignment near Paco–Sta. Mesa Road with a new 2,000-millimeter mainline spanning eight kilometers.

The upgraded pipeline will be relocated to G. Tuazon Street, Lacson Avenue, Quirino Avenue, and Osmeña Highway, covering the stretch from V.G. Cruz to San Andres.

“Through this project, we’re investing in higher-capacity infrastructure intended to enhance water distribution in Manila. By reducing losses from leaks and illegal connections, more clean water can reach households that need it,” Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez said.

Once completed by the third quarter of 2027, the new mainline will have a designed recovery potential of up to 18 million liters per day, equivalent to the average daily water consumption of about 140,000 Manila residents.

The project is also expected to increase water pressure in 29 barangays from around 7 pounds per square inch (psi) to 16 psi, allowing water to reach up to the third floor of a building without the need for a booster pump.

The pipeline upgrade forms part of Maynilad’s Non-Revenue Water Management Program, which includes leak detection and repair, pressure management, meter replacement, and anti-pilferage efforts across the West Zone.