Metro Pacific Water (MPW) has fully restored the 30 million liter per day (MLD) capacity of San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, following the removal of accumulated sludge in the treatment facility.
The company, through Metro Pacific Bulacan Water (MPBW), said it had conducted a cleaning operation at its water treatment facility in San Jose del Monte following its takeover of operations from PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp.
Water Treatment Plant 2 was designed to produce 30 MLD but is currently being operated at levels reaching 40 MLD. It noted that accumulated sludge and maintenance issues had significantly reduced the tank’s usable capacity to only 20 MLD.
The company reported that full production has resumed after the cleaning works, enabling the facility to supply about 10,000 households in the higher-elevation areas.
‘We cannot solve San Jose del Monte’s water problems overnight. Years of stopgap measures and deferred maintenance contributed to the condition of the system we inherited,’ MPBW COO Roldan Pineda said.
MPW has assumed interim water service operation for San Jose del Monte after the town’s local government canceled its water service agreement with PrimeWater due to alleged neglect and water shortages.
‘We learned that in the past that the previous operator would simply stop the production when raw water conditions became difficult. Our approach is to keep the plant operating safely and consistently by improving treatment processes and rehabilitating critical equipment,’ Pineda said.
The company reported that the raw water tank was last cleaned in December 2024, noting that these facilities must be cleaned at least twice a year to prevent sludge buildup from reducing storage and treatment capacity.
Despite the full restoration of water capacity, some areas in higher elevations may continue to experience low pressure or intermittent supply due to lack of sufficient volumes to meet demand.
‘This is why treatment facilities, the distribution network and available water sources all have to be improved together. That rehabilitation takes time, but we are working on these areas simultaneously,’ Pineda added.
MPBW has also completed the repair of over 400 pipeline leaks, reducing water losses from damaged lines and improving available supply.