Manila Water rates up; Maynilad’s going down

THE Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and the water concessionaires of Metro Manila on Monday announced rate adjustments starting October 1 to reflect changes in the Foreign Currency Differential Adjustment (FCDA).

Manila Water Co. Inc. (Manila Water) will implement an increase of 86 centavos per cubic meter in its 2024 average charge of P42.46 per cubic meter at the start of the fourth quarter.

Maynilad Water Service Inc. (Maynilad) will lower its FCDA by 29 centavos per cubic meter in its 2024 average charge of P47.57 per cubic meter.

That means Manila Water’s residential customers who use 10 cubic meters of water or less will pay P3.65 more, customers who use about 20 cubic meters P8.10 more and customers who use 30 cubic meters P16.54 more.

Maynilad customers who consume 10 cubic meters or less will pay 83 centavos less, customers who use 20 cubic meters will be billed P3.14 less, and customers who use around 30 cubic meters P6.43 less.

Lifeline customers — low-income households that use 10 cubic or less — of both concessionaires will be exempted from the adjustments.

The FCDA is a tariff mechanism granted to the water concessionaires to recover or compensate for fluctuations in the foreign exchange rates arising from their payment of either foreign currency-denominated concession fees to MWSS or foreign currency-denominated loans they obtained for its service improvement projects.

Manila Water provides water and wastewater services to Mandaluyong, Pasig, San Juan, Marikina, Pateros, Taguig, Makati, the southeastern part of Quezon City, San Andres and Sta. Ana in Manila and the Rizal municipalities of San Mateo, Rodriguez, Antipolo, Cainta, Taytay, Angono, Baras, Binangonan and Jalajala.

Maynilad covers the cities of Manila (all but portions of San Andres and Sta. Ana), Quezon City (west of San Juan River, West Avenue, EDSA, Congressional, Mindanao Avenue, the northern part starting from Districts of the Holy Spirit and Batasan Hills), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Las Piñas, Malabon, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay and Valenzuela, and the cities of Bacoor and Imus and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario in Cavite province.