MAYNILAD MODIFIES WATER SYSTEM
By Jonathan Vicente
Today, October 8, 1998

THE Lopez-led Maynilad Water Services Inc. had modified the water filtration system to control the high level of manganese that cause water discoloration in the western sector of Metro Manila.

Benedict Cardenas, of Maynilad's corporated communications division, said the findings of the University of the Philippines and Ateneo University chemical laboratories and the Philippine Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry or Pipac disclosed that the manganese content reached beyond the standard level.

"Testing [of Maynilad water] shows that only the manganese level was found beyod the standard level causing discoloration of drinking water," Cardenas said.

Maynilad said the processing of water at the La Mesa treatment plant was modified to reduce the manganese.

Cardenas said that according to chemists, the normal intake of manganese in the body can be as high as 20 milligrams per day which is equivalent to 40 liters or 150 glasses of manganese-tainted water a day.

Maynilad's treatment plant is located at La Mesa Dam while the water filtration of the other private concessionaire -- the Ayala-led Manila Water Co. is done at Balara in Diliman, Quezon City.

Maynilad said the discoloration of water could have been caused by the sudden increase of the water level in Angat owing to the continuous rains that aggitated the manganese deposit and other sediments embedded on the dam's basin. The dam was drying up because of the El Nino phenomenon before the heavy rains came.

Water level in Angat was measured at 176 meters. Sixteen meters above the critical level of 160 and still contnue to rise each day due to the regular downpour in Bulacan watersheds.

The Department of Health assured the public that the yellowish-water from Maynilad is safe to drink, but health experts advised the boiling of the water to make sure that other viruses are destroyed.