Amid the coronavirus outbreak, The Philippines Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System releases a statement assuring the Metro Manila residents that the drinking water supplied to MWSS customers by our concessionaires is safe and is compliant with the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW).
Despite the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine, the MWSS maintains the manning of our Umiray-Angat-Ipo Dam, and existing waterworks and water conveyance systems to ensure the availability and delivery of water supply, considering the importance of water in undertaking preventive measures against the spread of coronavirus.
For the unimpeded delivery of essential water related activities and services and to make sure that treatment plants continue to operate throughout the public health emergency, the MWSS has endorsed the exemption of Concessionaire employees’ from travel restrictions as follows:
- Personnel involved in the management of Water-related Goods- importation, domestic transport and sale of equipment, devices, and chemicals;
- Personnel involved in the management of employees and service providers such as contractors, haulers, and related service providers;
- Personnel of contractors that perform indirect services such as security, sales, technical and other support personnel as well as employees of third-party contractors during sales, installation, maintenance, and essential repair works.
In support to the effort of the government to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 and to keep up with the increasing demand, MWSS has requested the NWRB the increase of water allocation to be distributed by the Concessionaires from 42 cubic meters per second (CMS) to 46 CMS. The increased allocation would allow 24-hour water supply and intended to reduce water service interruptions to major parts of the MWSS service area.
MWSS appeals to the public to stay calm and just store enough water. As we face the continuing challenge in the midst of this crisis, the MWSS and its Concessionaires’ will remain committed to serve the public and implement measures to cope with the future water supply requirements for Metro Manila and other service areas within MWSS jurisdiction.