MANILA - Maynilad on Monday said several days are needed for water supply to normalize in the Bagbag reservoir, which supplies 70 to 80 percent of their customers.

The water distributor said it might take over a week before water supply to customers will normalize even as turbidity level, an indicator of water's clarity, has improved.

It said over 850,000 residential customers will still be affected by the issue.

Maynilad said while the "turbidity level of the raw water entering our La Mesa Treatment Plants has improved," the company must keep limiting water production.

"To maintain the quality of water supply to our customers and protect the integrity of our water treatment plant, we are constrained to continue limiting our water production," it said in a statement Monday noon.

"Our facilities’ current output is around 1,840 MLD (million liters per day) versus our normal output of approximately 2,000 MLD—or a 160 MLD reduction," it added.

Maynilad added "highly elevated portions of the West Zone concession will continue to have low pressure to no water supply while we do the necessary system adjustments to fill up reservoirs and distribute the limited water supply to more areas."

Maynilad said customers must expect water discoloration or presence of "some sediments" in their water as system adjustments continue.

"To help reduce the sediments, our customers can let the water stand in a container for a few hours before using the water," Maynilad advised.

It however assured customers that "our water remains safe for domestic use," claiming that "it meets the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water of the Department of Health."

Maynilad lamented that water supply may not immediately normalize, "until rains over the Ipo watershed stop and turbidity level stays below 300 NTU."

"But we would like to assure them that we are doing everything we can to ease the impact of our reduced water production through pressure management and water tankering," it added.

Maynila customers may call the following numbers for reports:
• Water Tankering Hotline: 737-3311
• Maynilad Hotline: 1626
• Website contact page: www.mayniladwater.com.ph/contact.php
• Text Hotline: 0998-8641446
• Email: customer.helpdesk@mayniladwater.com.ph
• Social media accounts (Twitter: @maynilad, Facebook: @MayniladWater)

-- With reports from Alvin Elchico, ABS-CBN News