West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. has started partial operations of its raw water reservoir at the La Mesa Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Quezon City to boost supply reliability during the dry season and lower dam inflows.

The Pangilinan-led firm said Tuesday that the facility currently allows the storage of up to 67 million liters of raw water through the initial use of one converted lagoon within the La Mesa WTP compound.

“This facility enhances our ability to manage raw water variability and maintain stable treatment operations, particularly during periods of lower inflow or higher turbidity,” Maynilad Chief Operating Officer Christopher Jaime T. Lichauco said. 

The project is expected to improve operational flexibility during periods of lower inflows from the Angat–Ipo Dam system caused by reduced rainfall or allocation adjustments.

Targeted for full completion by June, the project involves converting former sludge lagoons into a six-meter-deep impounding reservoir capable of storing up to 200 million liters of raw water.

Once fully operational, the facility will provide La Mesa Water Treatment Plant 1 with an additional raw water buffer to help stabilize treatment operations and sustain water service during supply constraints.

The repurposed lagoons may also serve as a settling basin during periods of elevated turbidity, allowing suspended particles in raw water to settle naturally before entering the treatment process.

Upon completion, the facility will become Maynilad’s first dedicated raw water storage reservoir, complementing its existing network of 38 treated water reservoirs across the West Zone.

Maynilad said it continues to invest in infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening system resilience and ensuring reliable water service across its concession area in Metro Manila and Cavite.