Manila Water Augments Water Supply to Maynilad-Served Communities in Manila

In response to water supply disruptions caused by a pipe breakage in Maynilad’s network, Manila Water is providing emergency support to communities in Tondo, Manila, through cross-border water flows. Treated water from Manila Water’s distribution network is being shared via existing cross-border connection points to help augment supply and ease the shortage in affected Maynilad-served areas.

To further support impacted residents, Manila Water has deployed five 10cubicmeter water tankers to ensure continued access to clean water.

These emergency augmentation measures demonstrate Manila Water’s commitment to inter-concessionaire cooperation during critical situations, while maintaining 24/7 adequate water supply for its East Zone customers, particularly amid peak summer demand.

The Water Stewardship Journey Continues for SM Supermalls

MANILA, Philippines, 13th March 2026 - For three decades, SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime) has steadfastly advanced responsible water stewardship for a more resilient water future through SM Supermalls, its operating arm. 

SM Prime invested in its first Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in the late 90’s with SM Southmall. STPs are essential for protecting public health and the environment, along with supporting community development. Since then, STPs have become a standard fixture in all 89 malls, reducing water waste and pollution, and safeguarding water resources. 

SM Supermalls embeds water conservation practices across its operations. Recycled water is used in water closets for flushing, cleaning, and watering greens. Additionally, efficient low-flow fixtures and water-saving technologies prevent unnecessary consumption at scale. 

"SM had always been conscious of its environmental impact on shared social good. Our water journey is rooted in our commitment to maximize what we borrow from the environment, creating resiliency for future generations,” said Liza B. Silerio, SM Supermalls Vice President and Head of Sustainability and Resilience.

Today, SM is evaluating centralized STPs that can serve multiple developments and allow for inter-building treatment systems, lowering operational costs, and enhancing process efficiency. "Part of our water resilience framework is building long-term capacity for water disruptions. Since the standardization of STPs across our malls, SM took it a step further and scaled its water sustainability efforts," said Silerio.

 

A first in the industry, SM City Baguio's Rainwater Treatment Facility has already processed almost 20,000 cubic meters of rainwater into potable water since it was launched, providing 30% of the mall’s total monthly clean water requirement since 2023. This translates to saving the equivalent of 12.7 million, 1.5-liter mineral water bottles or almost eight Olympic-sized swimming pools of freshwater from the grid.

Leveraging the mall’s nationwide reach, SM further campaigns sustainable water use through consistent awareness and engagement, SM creates public awareness and education campaigns through its Corporate Social Responsibility arm, SM Cares to activate future water stewards in the community.

This proactive and efficient approach resulted in SM malls receiving multiple industry distinctions such as the Bantayog ng Lawa Award from the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) and the first ever Gawad Taga-Ilog Award bestowed upon a private entity by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

"We’ve come a long way since the 90’s. It’s heartwarming to be recognized by our community and peers, but we continue to work harder for future generations because water is a universal human right. By implementing these sustainability measures, SM aims to move forward with greater purpose and greater possibilities," said Silerio.

Manila Water Replaces Over 160,000 Meters in 2025

Manila Water sustained low nonrevenue water (NRW) levels in 2025, driven in part by the company’s intensified meter replacement activities and consistently rapid response to network leaks across the East Zone.

The water company’s NRW was recorded at 13.55 percent in December, bringing the fullyear average to 14.27 percent. This performance reflects the company’s ongoing efforts to reduce both commercial and physical losses in the distribution network. 

A major contributor to this performance is the largescale implementation of the company’s meter replacement program in 2025. By endDecember, Manila Water had replaced 168,806 water meters.

The meter replacement initiative strengthens the company's efficiency measures by improving consumption accuracy and reduce water losses. These upgrades help ensure accurate billing for customers and reinforce the company’s initiatives to sustainably lower NRW.

The company’s quick leak response likewise plays a significant role in managing physical water losses. In December 2025 alone, Manila Water repaired all 26 reported pipe bursts within 24 hours, maintaining a perfect compliance rate for the month. For the full year, teams completed repairs on all 613 mainline bursts within 24 hours, preventing prolonged losses and service disruptions across the network. 

“Rapid field response, active leak detection, and replacing meters remain essential to keeping water losses low and ensuring service reliability across the East Zone. These operational measures directly support the company’s commitment to maintaining efficiency and sustaining improvements in NRW performance,” said Jeric Sevilla, Manila Water’s Corporate Communication Affairs Group Director. 

Manila Water will continue scaling up its NRW reduction initiatives in 2026 through district metering improvements, network pressure management, continued meter replacement, and expansion of leak detection activities. These efforts are part of the company’s broader program to secure water availability, improve service continuity and enhance the resilience of the East Zone water supply network.

Manila Water Sustains Expansion of Water Service Network, Reinforces 24/7 Supply Reliability

Manila Water sustains massive expansion of water service connections. From January to November 2025, the company installed 19,421 new water service connections, bringing the total to 1,213,213 across the East Zone concession area since 1997, reflecting the company’s commitment to meeting the growing demand for safe and reliable water.

Supporting this expansion is a robust water supply network that grew by 92.59 kilometers from January to November 2025, bringing the total length to 5,656.23 kilometers. 

This extensive infrastructure, combined with a non-revenue water level averaging below 15%, comparable to benchmarks in developed countries, enables Manila Water to consistently provide round-the-clock water service to its customers.

Non-revenue water refers to water lost through system leaks and illegal connections. Keeping this figure low is critical to sustaining reliable supply and operational efficiency.

"Our sustained expansion and operational efficiency reflect Manila Water’s commitment to delivering safe, reliable water service to every customer. Maintaining low non-revenue water levels and investing in a strong pipeline network allow us to ensure 24/7 water availability while supporting the growing needs of our communities," said Jeric Sevilla, Manila Water Corporate Communication Affairs Group Director.

Looking ahead, Manila Water remains committed to further expanding its water service network and enhancing operational efficiency through continued investments in infrastructure and innovative technologies. Serving more than 7.8 million customers in the East Zone and continuing to grow, the company aims to ensure sustainable water supply and support the increasing needs of communities within in its concession area in Metro Manila and Rizal.

Sip, Style, Repeat: AquaFlask Opens in SM City Marilao & SM City Baliwag

AquaFlask, your favorite insulated bottle brand, opens at SM malls in Marilao and Baliwag. The new store showcases the brand’s full collection of tumblers, bottles, and lifestyle accessories designed to keep beverages cold for 24 hours and hot for 12.

AquaFlask’s newly opened branches are designed for a hands-on shopping experience—customers can compare different bottle sizes, test features, and explore new trendy and limited-edition colors. Shoppers can also find stickers, beads, and charms to personalize their purchases.

Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, a traveler, or a student looking for a stylish tumbler, AquaFlask’s newest store has something for you. Drop by and experience hydration in style only at their branches in SM City Marilao and SM City Baliwag.

SM Prime: Smarter Water Management for a Resilient Future

Manila, Philippines — Water is a limited resource, and many Philippine cities face pressure on their supply due to rapid urbanization and climate change. SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, prioritizes water efficiency as a core operational strategy to pave the way for a water-resilient future. 

The result is a portfolio-wide water intensity of 0.44 m³/m²/year, already surpassing water efficiency standards of some of the leading global benchmarks.

For SM Supermalls, every chance to collect and conserve water is explored. Simple low-flow fixtures and the adoption of water-saving technologies prevent unnecessary consumption at scale. Recycling air conditioning condensate and processed water minimizes dependence on fresh water, and innovative approaches that capture portions of floodwater for non-potable use support sustainable water management.

This efficiency means that for every square meter of mall space, SM Supermalls' water use translates into millions of liters saved annually. 

Beyond equipment and systems upgrades, culturally integrating sustainability values is part of the solution. Water education campaigns for tenant-partners, employees, and mallgoers promote the wider sustainability campaign of the SM Green Movement.

Creating a sustainable mall experience like no other, SM Supermalls believes that investing in efficient and scalable water management systems also means bringing everyone together to ensure water for tomorrow. 

“Our mall water management systems are already at par with some of the best in the world. We do this because we understand that every liter saved eases the pressure on local water resources and secures our operations for the long term,” said SM Supermalls President Steven Tan.

Every drop makes a difference, and conserving the planet’s valuable resources is communicated through SM Cares’ large and unique community platform, whether in the malls or on social media. The interactive and visually rich content is especially appealing for the younger, digitally active millennial and Gen Z workforce. 

“Our work in the malls is to make sure that we give you the best experience without compromising the needs of tomorrow, but of course, we cannot do it alone. When we combine all our actions as a community, no matter how big or small these are, we can all enjoy a water-resilient future,” said Tan.

Manila Water Strengthens Water Security and Climate Resilience with Full Stewardship of Upper Wawa Dam

East Zone concessionaire Manila Water has reinforced its commitment to delivering 24/7 water supply across its service area through the official takeover of operations of the Upper Wawa Dam, following the successful acquisition of WawaJVCo.

The turnover, completed in October, marked the formal transition of operations from Prime Infra to Manila Water, with WawaJVCo employees officially welcomed into the Manila Water family. This strategic move consolidates the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project under Manila Water’s management, ensuring greater operational efficiency and long-term water security for its customers.

The acquisition complements Manila Water’s ongoing efforts to diversify and secure alternative water sources, alongside existing facilities such as the Wawa-Calawis Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Antipolo City, Cardona WTP in Rizal, and the East Bay WTP, which both draws water from Laguna Lake.

As the largest water source development since 1967, the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project will deliver up to 710 million liters per day (MLD), benefiting more than 700,000 households or approximately 3.5 million Filipinos within the MWSS concession area. 

“The Upper Wawa Dam is the largest dam built in the Philippines in over 50 years. For decades, Angat Dam has been our primary water source. With the completion of the project, the facility now provides an additional layer of reliability for Metro Manila’s water supply, not just for our East Zone service area, but as an extra source that can support the broader Metro Manila region,” said Joe Costales, newly appointed General Manager of WawaJVCo.

Beyond water security, the Upper Wawa Dam reflects Manila Water’s commitment to climate resilience, protecting not only its facilities but more importantly the communities it serves. Designed primarily as a water supply source, the dam has proven to be a vital flood mitigation measure, repeatedly cited by government agencies as instrumental in reducing flooding in vulnerable areas of Rizal and Marikina by capturing and storing excess rainwater.

In 2024, the Upper Wawa Dam played a critical role in mitigating flooding during Super Typhoon Carina by significantly reducing downstream flood impact in Rizal and Metro Manila by controlling water discharge and lowering flow from 2,100 m³/s to 200 m³/s. The reservoir, which spans 450 hectares and stores up to 120 million cubic meters, nearly filled in two days due to heavy rains, accumulating over 90 million cubic meters of water. Government officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Rizal Governor Nina Ynares, credited the dam for preventing severe damage. 

In a press briefing in August this year, Marikina 2nd District Representative Miro Quimbo credited the Upper Wawa Dam for helping reduce flooding in Marikina City during Typhoon Crising. According to Quimbo, more than 51% of floodwater was captured by the dam’s reservoir instead of flowing into Marikina, significantly minimizing the impact of the tropical cyclone.

Manila Water and WawaJVCo is currently gearing up for the official start of its commercial operations slated in December 2025.