Particularly as the threat of lower raw water allocation as the water levels at Angat Dam continue to decline.
In a statement on Monday, July 1, water concessionaire Maynilad said that it is strengthening its water supply and risk mitigation measures amid the looming threat of El Niño, which has resulted to the depletion of the Angat Dam in Bulacan, which is the company’s main water source.
According them, the water supply in Maynilad’s service area, which is the “West Zone” of the region, remains stable, adding that it continues to work with multiple parties on a coordinated response to evolving water supply conditions.
The list includes the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), National Water Resources Board (NWRB), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), and other concerned agencies.
Meanwhile, its service area is composed of cities of Manila (certain portions), Quezon City (certain portions), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon, all in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the municipalities of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite Province.
“Maynilad recognizes the concern over the continued decline in Angat Dam levels and the possible effects of El Niño,” said Maynilad Chief Operating Officer Christopher Jaime Lichauco. “We have been preparing for these circumstances since previous El Niño episodes, particularly in 2019, when Angat Dam dropped to its historical low level.”
He also further noted that the company has “more buffers” than it had during the drought in 2019.
“Angat Dam remains our main raw water source, but we now have more supplemental sources, lower water losses, expanded storage, and improved network management capabilities to help manage tighter raw water conditions,” Lichauco added.
Maynilad said that its Laguna Lake treatment capacity now totals 450 million liters per day (MLD), while its Putatan Water Treatment Plants 1 and 2 and the Poblacion Water Treatment Plant were all designed with a design capacity of 150 MLD each.
Furthermore, the company also increased its total treatment capacity by 173 MLD since 2019, from 2,700 MLD to 2,873 MLD, through projects such as include modular treatment plants, NEW WATER facilities, and deep wells.
Specifically, NEW WATER produces potable water from treated effluent that undergoes advanced treatment processes such as ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and disinfection, effectively making it “recycled water.”
Currently, they have facilities in Parañaque and Valenzuela already online and the commission of a 12-million-liter-per-day in Pasay in late 2026 seen to boost availability in its service area.
Maynilad has also added 88 million liters (ML) in reservoir capacity since 2019, from 692 ML to 780 ML. With the expected completion of Parada Reservoir and the La Mesa raw water reservoir within 2026 projected to boost its reservoir capacity to 1,020 ML.
The Non-Revenue Water reduction program was also intensified, with the average NRW down to 32.0% in Q1 2026, while its period-end NRW stood at 30.7%.
Maynilad noted these gains were achieved through leak detection and repair, pipe replacement, meter management, pressure regulation, and network efficiency measures, which help reduce water losses and improve the distribution of available supply across its service area.
Meanwhile, should there be an event of localized low pressure or temporary service interruption, Maynilad assured that it has standby support measures such as mobile water tankers and stationary water tanks for deployment to affected communities.
“Maynilad’s investments in additional sources, NRW reduction, storage, treatment upgrades, and network management give us more tools to reduce the risk and extent of service disruption under tighter raw water conditions,” Maynilad President and CEO Jaime Lichauco furthered.
In light of the weather phenomemenon, Maynilad encouraged customers to use water responsibly, avoid wastage, fix household leaks, and report street leaks or illegal connections.
“While the severity and duration of El Niño will ultimately depend on weather patterns and raw water availability, we will continue to implement appropriate measures to protect service reliability as conditions evolve,” Lichauco concluded.