The management of Manila Water (MW) confirmed on Monday that its new water treatment plant (WTP) in Pakil, Laguna is already in limited operation.

In an interview, Dittie Galang, corporate communications head at MW, assured that the project has already entered its “process proving” stage, meaning the facility is already treating a limited volume of water and serving customers in the municipality of Jalajala.

“This means we are already in the testing stage of the East Bay project’s Phase I, ” the company official told the Philippine News Agency.

When Phase I of the East Bay project is fully implemented, the WTP will be able to provide some 50 million liters of treated water daily to some 390,000 consumers in the towns of Jalajala, Pililla, Baras, Cardona, Morong, and Binangonan in Rizal Province.

It was explained that the WTP would draw water from Laguna Lake through two submarine pipes traversing the lake’s bottom.

When Phase 2 of the project becomes operational in 2025, it will also supply running water to Metro Manila’s East Zone, including parts of Pasig, Pateros and Taguig.

The more advanced phase of the PHP7.8 billion East Bay WTP also entails the construction of a reservoir, pumping station, and pipe-laying of 60 kilometers of 1200- and 1400-millimeter diameter pipes.

It will treat water from Laguna Lake using the reverse osmosis process, making it suitable for public consumption.

Meanwhile, the water company also announced Monday that it has suspended excavation activities in major thoroughfares within the East Zone of its franchise area, in compliance with a recent government resolution in preparation for the coming holidays.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) Memorandum Circular No. 15 Series of 2023, ordered the temporary suspension of road works on major roads in Metro Manila, such as road reblocking, pipe laying and road upgrading activities as part of the efforts to alleviate the congested traffic during the Christmas season, MW’s management said in a statement.

However, the company’s management assured that it will continue to support the implementation of government flagship projects which are exempted from MMDA’s moratorium. (PNA)