MANILA, Philippines – Maynilad Water Services is set to face a penalty over its “unusual and prolonged” water service interruptions in the southern part of Metro Manila and in Cavite.

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Regulatory Office (MWSS RO) on Monday, February 28, said it will impose a financial penalty on Maynilad in the form of bill rebates to affected customers.

The amount has yet to be disclosed.

The MWSS RO said Maynilad has yet to explain why it was unable to deliver 24-hour services in the affected areas from December 2021 to February 2022.

“Based on the evidence gathered from its investigation, the MWSS RO concluded that Maynilad failed to meet its service obligation of ensuring the availability of an uninterrupted 24-hour supply of water at 7 pounds per square inch minimum pressure to all connected customers in its service area,” the regulator said.

“Customers within the Putatan Water Treatment Plants Supply Zone were found to have been deprived of water service obligation for at least 15 days, which adversely impacted their health and welfare.”

Maynilad said it will abide by the regulatory body’s decision.

“We wish to inform the public that our water service in the south has already been ramping up over the last few days following improvements in the turbidity level of Laguna Lake and our treatment process interventions; hence, most of the affected customers now have uninterrupted supply,” the Manny Pangilinan-led company said in a statement. – Rappler.com