Marina Bay Sands, Singapore— Metropolitan Water Works and Sewerage System Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco underscored the water agency’s progress with its three concessionaires – Maynilad, Manila Water and San Miguel Bulk Water-in ensuring water security and better wastewater management through the application of smart water management.
Former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon keynoted the international water conference as he underscored the “optimistic solution to climate change and water security is Private Public Partnership [PPP] which is the best solution aside from science and technology.”
Moon also cited the need for “strong leadership as the catalyst for massive infrastructure and technological development in combatting climate change and improving sustainable water and wastewater management.”
In a speech before delegates in the Singapore Water Week 2018 and the Asia Water Council, Velasco shared how Philippines is way ahead in advocating private public partnership with its two concessionaires, Manila Water and Maynilad, borne out of the successful PPP that saw fruition in 1997 during President Fidel V. Ramos administration, have adopted the newest technologies and innovations in their respective water systems.
Velasco, a director of the Asia Water Council, also welcomed the statement of Ban Ki Moon on “strong leadership” as a lynchpin to its “Build, Build, Build” policy. The MWSS chief headed the 20-man Philippine delegation to the Singapore Water Week 2018 comprising of Maynilad president Ramoncito Fernandez, Maynilad COO Randy Estrellado and four others as well as Manila Water headed by its COO Ding Carpio and 11 others.
According to Velasco, Maynilad’s Putatan Water Treatment Plant for instance is currently the largest membrane-based water treatment plant in the Philippines and is also the first of its kind to use large-scale ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis. It uses a multi-stage process of dissolved air flotation, biological aerated filtration, ultrafiltration, and chlorination to ensure that water coming from the Laguna Lake passes the Department of Health’s Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water.
Maynilad is also upgrading its La Mesa Treatment Plants to enhance the facilities’ treatment capacity, as well as retrofitting structures for improved earthquake resiliency, and automating processes for more reliable operations.
Meanwhile, Maynilad’s Dagat-Dagatan Sewage and Septage Treatment Plant in Caloocan and Tondo Sewage Pumping Plan hold ISO certifications on Quality, Environmental, and Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems. Maynilad also has an sewage and septage treatment plant in Project 7, Quezon City and an septage treatment plant SpTP in Pamplona, Las Piñas designed to treat wastewater and septage collected from the septic tanks of Maynilad customers from the north and the south, respectively. All of Maynilad’s wastewater treatment plants are certified under ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and OHSAS 18001:2007 including LMTP 1 and 2 and Tondo Sewage Pumping Plant are certified under ISO 5000:2011 Energy Management Systems.
Maynilad’s Putatan Treatment Plant for instance is currently the largest membrane-based water treatment plant in the Philippines and is also the first of its kind to use large-scale microfiltration and reverse osmosis of potable water for the West Zone. It uses a multi-stage process of dissolved air flotation, microfiltration, and chlorination to ensure that water coming from the Laguna Lake passes the Department of Health’s Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water.
Maynilad’s Dagat-Dagatan Sewage and Septage Treatment Plant in Caloocan and Tondo Sewage Pump facility also hold international standard accreditations on Quality, Environmental, and Occupational Safety and Health Management. Maynilad also has an STP in Project 7, Quezon City and in Pamplona, Las Piñas designed to treat wastewater collected from the septic tanks of Maynilad customers from the north and the south, respectively – which can treat up to 250 cubic meters of septage per day.
“Fifteen STPs and 13 wastewater pumping stations in Quezon City are being upgraded for full automation to improve operational efficiency and improve service delivery,“ Velasco added.
It maintains and operates 20 wastewater treatment plants which use the latest technology enabling them to treat some 542 MLD of wastewater.
Meanwhile, to improve efficiency, reliability and sustainability in its water system, Manila Water improved its screening system to capture solid wastes efficiently. The company has also procured more efficient equipment such that of screw and turbo blowers suited for water treatment applications.
It is also currently using the Geotube Dewatering Technology that produces high volume reduction and retention of solids.
The company also uses the anaerobic digestion to convert sludge to energy and the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) that also treats wastewater. Manila Water uses that in its Taguig North Sewerage Treatment Plant and its Marikina North Sewerage Treatment Plant.
Because of these newest technologies and as part of its efforts towards continuous process improvement, Manila Water’s Strategic Asset Management Group (SAMG) recently obtained its ISO 9001:2015 certification for their Quality Management System just last month. This is an upgrade of the Group’s existing ISO 9001:2008 certification and is also the first Group in Manila Water to be upgraded to the 9001:2015 standards. Manila Water was also recently awarded the ISO 50001:2011 certification for its energy management system.
According to Velasco, these strides in the water sector would not have been possible without privatization. Where before, water supply coverage was around 67% and water loss was 63%. “we were able to achieve a total serviced area, now at 96 percent, as well as reduced unaccounted-for water by our concessionaires – at 11 percent by Manila Water and 29 percent by Maynilad,” Velasco said.
He added, “There was minimal septage treatment and no septage treatment plant. Only some areas in Metro Manila had sewerage facilities with most establishments using their own communal septic tanks.”