FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Water Consumption
What is the average monthly consumption of a typical household?
Where can I apply for a new service connection?
How do I apply for a new service connection?
Water Quality
Can we drink water from the tap?
What causes water contamination?
What is Manila Water doing to protect our water from getting contaminated?
Is my deepwell safe?
Who can I call if I have problems with water?
Water Source
Where does our water come from?
Where does our water get treated?
Water Supply
My friends get their water two hours before we do, why can�t we have water at the same time?
Why do people down the street get very strong water pressure while our water pressure is weak?
Save that water!
Check your faucet.
Don’t leave that water running.
Don’t waste water when washing your car.
Maximize your laundry water.
Minimize use of your shower.
Check the water level at your water closets.
Report all road leaks and busted fire hydrants.
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).
Where can I apply for a new service connection?
You can apply at any of our business areas nearest you: Balara, Cubao, Marikina, Pasig, San Juan-Mandaluyong, Makati, Taguig-Pateros. You can also ask help from our Territory Representatives (TR) in your area about application, inquiries, and any problems on your water and services.
How do I apply for a new service connection?
First, you need to accomplish an application form, which you can get from any of our business area offices or Territory Representative (TR) in your area. Prepare the following documents for submission together with your accomplished application form:
proof of ownership/proof of residency or billing/ bgy. certificate
building/sanitary & plumbing permit
right-of-way (as needed)
special power of attorney (for representatives)
You will also pay a corresponding fee upon filing your application. However, the fee is already part of the installation cost. The fee is not refundable except when Manila Water denies the application. See detailed list of documents required for different types of application for water and sewer services.
The business area office or TR will inform you of the status of your application. Upon approval, you will be scheduled for installation.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Who can I call if I have problems with water?
Please contact us through our Call Center 1627 or through any of our business areas. 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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Check your faucet.
Replace worn-out rubber stoppers and check the pipes, water closets and connections in your home for any leak. To check for leaks, turn off all your faucets and check your meter. If it is still running, call your plumber for you probably have a leak in your system.
Don’t leave that water running.
Don’t leave your faucet flowing when brushing your teeth or filling up a container. When washing your hands or face, use a water basin.
Don’t waste water when washing your car.
When washing cars, simply use a rag, a pail of soapy water, and a pail of clean water. Using jet sprays or water hoses waste a lot of water.
Maximize your laundry water.
Wait for a full load of clothes before doing the laundry and soak them for a while in the soapy water to make washing easier.
Minimize use of your shower.
When taking a bath, use a water pail and “tabo” as often as possible. This method saves more water.
Check the water level at your water closets.
Don’t let the water in your toilet tank get past the overflow level, making the adjustment if it does by bending down the float arm. Putting a brick of a rock in it to displace water will also reduce your water consumption.
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 Call Center 1627.