Maynilad upgrades Muntinlupa treatment plant with ceramic membrane technology

MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. is upgrading its Putatan water treatment plant in Muntinlupa City with ceramic membrane technology as the west zone concessionaire seeks to strengthen treatment reliability amid changing raw water conditions in Laguna Lake.

The company on Wednesday said it would replace part of the existing ultrafiltration membrane system at Putatan Water Treatment Plant 1 with ceramic ultrafiltration (UF) membranes, a technology designed to support more stable treatment operations during fluctuations in water quality.

“Maynilad continues to invest in technologies that will help us meet evolving water supply and treatment challenges,” Maynilad President and Chief Executive Officer Ramoncito S. Fernandez said in a statement.

“With ceramic UF, we are building on a technology that we have already tested under Laguna Lake conditions, and are now scaling it up to further improve the reliability, resilience and sustainability of our water treatment operations,” he added.

The first phase of the upgrade will cover part of the plant’s ultrafiltration system and is scheduled for commissioning by the end of 2026.

Maynilad said the project forms part of a broader program to improve the reliability of its Laguna Lake treatment facilities, which supplement supply from Angat Dam and support water security across its west zone concession area.

The company first adopted ceramic ultrafiltration technology at its Laguna Lake Modular Treatment Plant, a 20-million-liter-per-day facility inaugurated in 2024.

The plant treats raw water from Laguna Lake and augments production from Maynilad’s Muntinlupa treatment facilities.

Ceramic ultrafiltration membranes are designed to withstand more difficult treatment conditions and higher turbidity levels compared with conventional membrane systems, helping stabilize plant operations during periods of poor raw water quality.

Once completed, the Putatan upgrade is expected to improve treatment stability, particularly during periods of elevated turbidity in Laguna Lake, the company said.

Maynilad provides water and wastewater services across the west zone, covering 11 cities in Metro Manila, three cities with partial coverage, and parts of Cavite province.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which holds a majority stake in Maynilad Water Services, Inc., is one of the Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., alongside Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera