Amid the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), the Metropolitan Waterworks, and Sewerage System on Friday directed west zone Maynilad Water Services Inc. and east zone Manila Water Co. Inc. to suspend disconnection of unpaid water bills until the end of August.
Its Regulatory Office said service disconnection activities must be suspended “until such time that the MECQ has been lifted, and to ensure water supply availability within their service areas.”
“We will comply with our regulators’ directive. Maynilad will suspend service disconnections during the MECQ, but meter reading activities will continue so that the bills customers receive bear their actual consumption. All meter readers are required to follow strict health and safety protocols,” Maynilad said.
As of press time, Manila Water has yet to issue an official statement.
The MWSS RO requested the cooperation and assistance from the local government units as the water firms continue to conduct their meter reading and billing activities during the period of MECQ.
“This is to enable the concessionaires to bill their customers based on actual water consumption, and to detect underground and after-the-meter leaks early, in order to prevent bill shock,” it noted.
“In this critical time when public health relies on access to clean, safe, and sufficient water supply, the MWSS RO enjoins the public to conserve water by using this scarce resource responsibly and intelligently,” it said.
“Rest assured that the agency will continue to implement proactive measures to make water available, accessible, and affordable for everyone, in its efforts to alleviate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” it added