MANILA - Maynilad will invest P1.8 billion for pipe replacement projects in the West Zone concession area, it said over the weekend.

Metro Pacific Investment Corp, the parent of the water concessionaire, confirmed the reports in a disclosure to the stock exchange on Monday.

The fund will replace a total of 173 kilometers of old, leaky pipes this year, Maynilad said in a statement.

Once completed, the total length of pipes replaced will be 2,869 kilometers or 72 percent of the distribution system that it inherited over 13 years following the 2007 re-privatization, Maynilad said.

Replacing leaky pipes will also allow the concessionaire to recover around 33 million liters per day (MPD) of water, enough to supply the needs of 33,000 households, it said.

“Our pipe installation activities have lately become more challenging because of quarantine-related mobility restrictions. Nevertheless, we persist in implementing these network upgrades, as it will help to reduce water losses and increase water pressure for our customers,” said Maynilad Chief Operation Officer Randolph T. Estrellado.

Maynilad services the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area which includes certain portions of Manila, Quezon City, Makati City, Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon as well as parts of Cavite City, Bacoor, Imus, Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario in Cavite.

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