Maynilad Awards Acuriant Phase 1 of 100 MLD Putatan Ceramic UF Retrofit

The largest ceramic ultrafiltration retrofit underway in Southeast Asia will replace conventional polymeric UF with Nanostone technology to handle one of the region's most variable source waters.

June 15, 2026

press release SIWW

Laguna de Bay supplies drinking water to millions across Metro Manila — but it is also one of the most operationally challenging surface water sources in the region. The conditions that feed into PWTP-1 push conventional pretreatment to its limits.

That challenge is now being addressed at scale. Maynilad Water Services has confirmed the phased replacement of the polymeric ultrafiltration membranes at Putatan Water Treatment Plant 1 (PWTP-1) with Nanostone ceramic UF membranes. The full programme covers 100 MLD across two phases, with phase one (50 MLD) already awarded to Acuriant Technologies.

From pilot to proof to contract

The path to this decision was built on operational evidence, not projections.

A pilot programme launched in November 2023 tested Nanostone ceramic UF against real Laguna Lake water — under both design and off-design conditions. Performance held. Maynilad then commissioned a 20 MLD full-scale ceramic UF facility, which has operated at full capacity since December 2024.

During that period, the system faced turbidity events that significantly exceeded the facility's original design basis, including during extreme weather events. Throughout, treated water consistently met potable drinking water standards.

Why ceramic UF for this application

The Nanostone ceramic UF platform brings specific advantages for a retrofit of this scale and complexity:

  • Holds treatment output through high solids loading and challenging feed quality
  • Tolerates aggressive chemical and mechanical cleaning regimes without degradation
  • Restores full permeability after each clean
  • Packs high treatment capacity into a compact footprint — critical where new equipment must fit within an existing plant envelope

Project timeline

First water from phase one is targeted for December 2026, with full phase-one capacity expected by March 2027. The second phase is anticipated later in 2026, with the complete 100 MLD retrofit targeted for mid-2027.

In the press

This project has been covered by H2O Global News. Read the full coverage →