Manila water

It was 1996 I think, my parents just came back for good from the Middle East. We have been experiencing lack of water for quite some time already but that time it was really bad, we did not have water and we had to get a water pump so we could have some water and it could only be done in the ungodly hours. My parents would wake up so they could get water, sometimes the 3 of us are there near our gate where the faucet is at the lowest just so we could slowly draw water for our containers.

Then one time while on my way to the office, I got to talk with a lady from an area nearby where there were several informal dwellers and we talked about water and she told me that she could see some areas where water was just freely flowing from their faucets, some even on the streets and that area is on a higher ground compared to us. I felt anger seeping through my body! There we were paying and not getting water while others who were wasting water were not paying for it! So unfair!!!

Then one day, they found out why our community did not have water. Someone put something, a stone I think but I’m not really sure, in one of the valves so that water was diverted to their direction not ours. They sure know how to locate those valves! So MWSS finally fixed it and we had water at last and theirs were cut. Our Barangay did not bother to look at our problem before but when the people from the higher grounds complained they acted on it immediately. Begged the homeowners to allow adjustment so that area get water too (even if they don't pay for it)Unfair, right???

But that experience really made me realize the value of water. and our water problems made me displeased with the MWSS… not just the lack of water but getting murky water and the exposed water pipes that you see on the open drainage with some parts submerged in dirty canal water…. Ewww! Of course that was not entirely the fault of MWSS but the illegal connectors!

Then MWSS turned over the management and distribution of water in our area to Manila Waters. And that is one of the best things that happened to our community. The concessionaire slowly fixed the pipes and the water meters, water started to get clear again and it has become available 24 hours a day. It really felt good and I really appreciate the company!