29 pipe leaks repaired amid backlog of over 200 leaks; WTP 2 leak caused P150,000 in monthly bulk-water costs paid to MWSS
Metro Pacific Water (MPW), which operates in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan as Metro Pacific Bulacan Water (MPBW), has improved water supply for more than 3,500 households during its first two weeks as the city’s interim operator by repairing leaks and clearing critical pipelines, addressing longstanding infrastructure problems ignored by the previous operator’s eight-year management.
Since beginning operations on June 5, 2026, MPBW has repaired 29 pipeline leaks and continues to address a backlog of more than 200 reported leaks left by the previous operator across the city’s distribution network.
Some of the initial repairs restored a 24-hour water supply to 507 households in the upper portion of Harmony Hills Subdivision, increased water availability to as much as 20 hours daily for 450 households in Phases 2 and 4 of Dela Costa Homes 3 in Barangay Graceville, and up to 16 hours daily for 1,205 households in Barangay Gumaoc. Another 1,386 households in Phase 5, Towerville, Minuyan benefited from improved water supply following the repair of a major transmission-line leak.
“The results of the initial repairs are encouraging, but we recognize that restoring the distribution network will take time. These problems accumulated over nearly a decade, and addressing them will require sustained work. Nevertheless, the repairs completed so far represent a significant first step,” MPW President and CEO Andrew Pangilinan said.
Repair works are focused on the barangays most severely affected by recurring water interruptions. The interventions aim to reduce water losses, improve distribution efficiency, and address sanitation risks associated with damaged and exposed pipelines.
MPW’s initial technical assessment also uncovered a leak in the raw water inlet of Water Treatment Plant 2 that was causing an estimated P150,000 in monthly bulk-water expenses paid to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). The discovery underscored the financial impact of inadequate preventive maintenance under the previous water operations.
“At a time when water supply must be carefully managed, we cannot afford to pay for water that is lost before reaching households. Repairing these leaks is essential to conserve available supply, reduce unnecessary costs, and improve service reliability,” Pangilinan added.
Based on the City Government’s audit, only 10 of the 37 water pumping stations of the former operator were functioning. The baseline water quality testing and a treatment-process audit also identified unsafe practices requiring correction.
MPBW has begun implementing recommended treatment protocols to help ensure that water quality complies with the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water.
To strengthen the City Government’s Task Force Tugon and its free water-rationing operations across 62 barangays, MPBW has deployed 12 additional water lorries, augmenting the city’s existing fleet of 22 trucks and increasing the total number of water tankers serving affected communities to 34. The deliveries benefit around 600 families daily in areas where water service has been disrupted by long-standing infrastructure deficiencies.
The company has also established essential customer-service functions, including meter reading and complaint processing. It has likewise begun correcting meter-related issues following consumer complaints regarding questionable billing that did not correspond with actual water consumption.
These emergency repairs, water-delivery operations, and technical assessments are being carried out while MPBW and the City Government evaluate long-term investments in pipelines, pumping stations, and other critical water infrastructure needed to permanently improve San Jose del Monte’s water system.
MPW signed an Operations and Maintenance Agreement with the City Government on May 20, 2026, covering an initial two-month consultancy engagement to assess local water operations and support efforts to stabilize the city’s water service.
MPBW is encouraging San Jose del Monte residents to report suspected leaks and damaged pipelines through its official Facebook page, Metro Pacific Bulacan Water.
