MANILA - Ayala-led Manila Water on Thursday said a total of 1.2 million households will now be affected by water service interruptions starting today, March 14.

Jeric Sevilla Jr., Manila Water corporate communications head, said the water interruptions will no longer affect just 52,000 households in the concessionaire's East Zone.

"Sa scheme na ipapatupad natin simula ngayon araw, lahat ay apektado na. Lahat ngayon ng customers natin kumbaga magshe-share nung burden na 'yun para matubigan naman ang lahat at certain times of the day," Jeric Sevilla Jr., Manila Water corporate communications head, told radio DZMM.

(Under the scheme we are implementing today, everyone is affected. All our customers will share the burden so that everyone will have water at certain times of the day.)

The company earlier said consumers on the eastern part of Metro Manila may experience 6 to 20 hours of service interruption daily until the rainy season sets in.

• Daily water interruption for 6 to 20 hrs may persist in next 3 months: Manila Water

It said delays in its infrastructure projects caused the shortage that was worsened by the prevailing mild El Niño.

Sevilla denied the company is planning to increase charges amid the water shortage."Para sa taong ito, walang nakaprogramang pagtaas ng singgil doon sa basic charge," he said.

(For this year, there is no programmed increase in the basic charge.)

Instead, the company will implement a downward adjustment or reduction of charges this April.

"Itong April, dahil sa tinatawag nating foreign currency differential adjustment, medyo maganda performcance ng piso natin, meron tayong reduction na ipapatupad beginning April," he said.

An official of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System has said the water shortage that is bringing misery to tens of thousands in the Philippine capital is the "fault" of government, which for years, has failed to build a new water source to meet demand from a growing population.

MWSS chief regulator Patrick Ty said plans to build new dams were set back due to opposition from various groups.

"They're saying it's our fault. Yes, its our fault. It's everyone's fault because we have been delaying all these projects. Right now, we can't rely on Angat. It's just one source. We need an alternative water source and we need it yesterday," Ty told ANC's Headstart.

"It's the fault of the government because it is the responsibility of the government to source all this water. I would just like to make it clear that we are doing something about it," he said.

• MWSS: Water shortage government's 'fault,' solutions underway

The MWSS is looking at sourcing up to 50 mld from deep wells as an immediate solution even if it could lead to future problems, he said.

Maynilad also offered to share 50 mld of its allocation to Manila Water, he said.