Water Concessionaire Pushes Environment Protection

MANILA, Philippines - A water concessionaire Wednesday disclosed that it is drawing up strategies and measures to firm up a wider undertaking to help protect environment, in line with its corporate social responsibility (CSR).

This was underscored by Manila Water Co. Inc. at the Balitaan sa Aloha Hotel forum in Malate, Manila over the weekend, where the water supplier said it netted over P8 billion during in 2010-2011, enabling the firm to pursue an environmental protection program.

''We appeal to the concerned public to help Manila Water effect its environmental program for clean and safer wafer to drink, as well as on safer water management,'' said Manila Water Corporate Communications Chief N. Jeric T. Sevilla Jr. ''We have devised some technologies to deliver to the public clean and safe drinking water, anchored on 'health is wealth.' ''

As the concessionaire of Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), Manila Water provides water and wastewater services to over six million people from 23 cities and municipalities of eastern Metro Manila, including Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, Pateros, Taguig, and parts of Manila, Quezon City and Rizal province. Advocating ''social development'' and ''environmental protection,'' the firm's business philosophy is anchored on the need ''to build sustainable communities, and preserve the environment that provides the resources integral in its business operations.'' Manila Water continues to improve its network and services quality. It pursues initiatives in wastewater management.

The company undertakes planting of trees near Ipo Dam in Bulacan, and Marikina-Antipolo water shed, in several areas in Metro Manila and other provinces nearby, to help control inundation of soils. ''We do not want to have another 'Ondoy' or other disasters,'' Sevilla said.

Sevilla also discussed the agency's water purification systems that are now being felt by millions of customers. He announced at the forum that Manila Water service has reduced system loss to a low of 11 percent. Sevilla explained that the high system loss in Eastern Metro Manila in 1997 was attributed to leaking pipes, illegal connections and defective, under-registered water systems. ''Our lone source of water is Angat Dam. We do not have any new source of water,'' he said, pointing out that ''Angat provides 97 percent of the water supply in the entire Metro Manila area, with a population of 18 million, in 16 cities and one town the area. Manila Water went on an aggressive system loss reduction program-combining technical and engineering solutions, with social interventions to address alleged water theft.'' In the same forum Orlando Villareal, the head of Manila Water's water network technical support services, claiming , ''we employed a multi-pronged approach to curb the high level of water losses when we took
over in 1997, as we inherited a system that was quite old and leaking-prominent.'' He said their approach was a mix of technical interventions utilizing supply and pressure management, active leakage control, meter maintenance and replacement, management and district metering, holistic pipe replacement and rehabilitation.''

Manila Water launched its flagship program in 1998 called ''Tubig Para Sa Barangay'' (TPSB) (water for the poor) program, designed to make piped water available to low-income communities and informal settlements where there were illegal connections. Manila Water has completed more than 700 TPSB projects benefiting more than 1.7 million people from the marginalized sector.

The firm's non-revenue water strategy was awarded the ''Water Efficiency Project of the Year'' during the Global Water Awards in 2010, as well as the Honor Award in the operations/management category of 2010 International Water Association Project Innovation Awards.