MANILA, Philippines—West zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. has acknowledged that limited potable water from its existing sources has contributed to service interruptions affecting parts of Muntinlupa City. During a recent town hall meeting convened by Muntinlupa City Mayor Ruffy Biazon, company officials said the utility has been unable to maintain uninterrupted 24-hour water supply to some households, citing operational challenges at its treatment facility drawing raw water from Laguna Lake. Greg Antonio, head of Maynilad’s Water Production South, said the company has resorted to scheduled water allocation to manage available supply. “We need to distribute or allocate hours. We have to distribute the water because of the number of customers that we have to serve,” Antonio said during the meeting, adding that several areas in Muntinlupa are currently under water rationing. He explained that supply is being rotated in eight-hour intervals throughout the day. In cases where piped water is unavailable, the company has deployed tanker trucks to deliver water to affected communities. Alfred John Gallego, head of Maynilad’s Muntinlupa–Las Piñas Business Area, said strong winds over Laguna Lake have disrupted plant operations by generating surface waves that affect raw water intake. “We can see that wind conditions have not been favorable to us, though we know it’s seasonal,” Gallego said. He noted that the treatment facility had to limit the volume of water it processes to prevent compromising output quality, particularly during periods of unstable lake conditions. Apart from Laguna Lake, Maynilad also sources water from La Mesa Dam and Angat Dam. Gallego said the company has also drawn supplemental supply from its northern service areas. However, he acknowledged that existing pipeline infrastructure may no longer be sufficient to carry additional water volumes, especially during periods of high demand. He added that Angat Dam—Maynilad’s primary water source—remains vulnerable to the effects of El Niño, or prolonged dry spells. “Although it’s a protected water source, it’s still affected by El Niño,” Gallego said. The company began tapping Laguna Lake as an alternative source due to the limitations of Angat Dam. According to Gallego, internal studies indicate that water from the lake could last up to four years even without rainfall or runoff from tributaries. He also noted that Laguna Lake’s link to Manila Bay through the Pasig River makes it a viable raw water source, provided it undergoes advanced treatment such as reverse osmosis before distribution.