Manila Water Company: Frequently Asked Questions

Branch	Address
Balara	Ventura St., Balara Filters Compound Katipunan Road, Balara, Quezon City
Cubao	671 EDSA Cubao, Quezon City
Makati	97 J.P. Rizal St. West Rembo Makati City
Mandaluyong	United cor. Mayflower St. Mandaluyong City
Marikina	Rainbow St., SSS Village Concepcion Dos, Marikina City
Pasig	Amang Rodriguez cor. Ortigas Avenue Pasig City
Rizal	L. Santos St., Barangay. San Juan Cainta, Rizal
Taguig-Pateros	Fort Bonifacio Pumping Station Global City, Taguig

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What are the requirements?

For new customers:

Filled-up application form
Payment for New Service Connection
Authorization from the owner (if tenant)
Transfer Certificate of Title/Lease Contract
Proof of Billing
Excavation Permit
Barangay Clearance

For existing customers:

Old Statement of Account (MWCI)
Payment for Previous Unpaid Account (PUA)
Reconnection/Reopening Fee

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How much will I pay?

The minimum connection fee (residential use, within 25 l.m. from tapping point & 25 mm diameter of pipe) is Php 5,566.60. In addition to this, payment of a guarantee deposit and meter deposit of P600.00 and P1,020.00, respectively, shall also be required.

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Why did my bill amount increase abruptly?

Tips on how to check for sudden increase in charges:

Tariff rate increase - Manila Water issues advisories in major newspapers for increase in tariff rates, FCDA, etc.
Underground Leak - Turn of all faucets and check if meter dial is turning. If so, a leak after the meter is present.
Erroneous Reading - Compare Meter Reading indicated on the bill against Actual Meter Registration. Error in encoding may occur.
Reading Dates - Check the Billing Period. The normal reading day cycle is 25 to 30 days.
Class or Rate Code Classification - Any change in the type of usage will affect the water rate.

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What is the average monthly consumption of a typical household?

An average household consumes about 30 cubic meters a month. One person consumes an average of 6 cubic meters every month. Thirty cubic meters is equivalent to 150 large drums of water (or 30,000 liters).

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Can we drink water from the tap?

The water that comes out of our filtration plants is safe and 100% potable and is delivered to your homes via several hundreds of kilometers of mains and pipelines. While water may be contaminated when being distributed because some of these pipes may be very old and may have leaks and intrusions, we test the water at various points and take every measure to protect its safety.

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What causes water contamination?

Leaks in the pipes - Soil and groundwater may seep into leaking pipes especially when the pressure is low.
Rust in old pipes - Rust often gives the water a reddish or yellow stain.
Booster pump - The use of booster pumps creates more pressure in the pipes. This pressure can suck dirt into the pipes and contaminate the water. Booster pumps should never be connected directly after the water meter. The pump will draw in more water and reduce the supply in the community. It is also one of the leading causes for intrusion as its high pressures often draw in more than water through leaking and old pipes.
Illegal connections - These connections are not well constructed and will cause soil and mud to seep in. You must report any suspected illegal connections to our Call Center Hotline 1627 anytime.
Badly maintained tanks and water storage facilities - These are breeding grounds for serious contaminants so it is important that you clean your tanks regularly.

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What is Manila Water doing to protect our water from getting contaminated?

Everyday, Manila Water takes water samples from all over the East Zone. We test the samples to verify your water�s safety. If there are any problems in the samples, we immediately trace the system for contamination and we flush and clean the lines to protect your health.

Manila Water is working to rehabilitate and modernize the water system so we can guard against water contamination and give you safer, cleaner water right out of your tap.

In case of any suspected contamination or less than clear water, boil your drinking water and contact us the soonest time possible.

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Is my deepwell safe?

As a regular rule, all deepwells should be equipped with chlorinators to purify the ground water. Ground water can be easily contaminated through old, abandoned wells or through badly maintained septic tanks.

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Who can I call if I have problems with water?

Please contact us through our Customer Service Hotline 1627 or through any of our authorized Manila Water employees on site. If you think your water might be contaminated, you can also ask help from your barangay health center, your municipal health officer or the Department of Health.

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Where does our water come from?

Angat Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan supplies 76% of Manila Water's needs. Other sources of water are Ipo Dam (14%), La Mesa Dam (7%), and groundwater (3%). Every second, the dam releases 32 cubic meters of water. One minute worth of water from Angat is enough to fill up an olympic size swimming pool!

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Where does our water get treated?

The Balara Filtration Plants in Balara, Quezon City, treat the equivalent of 6.5 billion glasses of water each day. Water that comes from Balara is pure drinking water that is regularly checked and certified by the Department of Health.

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My friends get their water two hours before we do, why can't we have water at the same time?

Water distribution is affected by distance. Areas closer to the pumping station get their water earlier. It takes time for water to reach all the areas of distribution.

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Why do people down the street get very strong water pressure while our water pressure is weak?

Elevation affects water pressure. Gravity will always cause water to seek the lowest level so water still has to build up pressure to reach the higher areas. This is why we can drain water from our sink and why low lying areas are prone to flooding. The shorter water hours caused by the summer or dry season sometimes prevents the system from building up enough pressure to bring water to the high areas.

Manila Water is working hard to balance the system so we can get enough water to all our customers in the East zone. This means we have to close off the supply in some areas so we can deliver to other areas.

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Report all road leaks and busted fire hydrants.

Take responsibility for all road leaks or busted fire hydrants you see by reporting them to the Manila Water Customer Service Hotline 1627.

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