Ipo Dam water level maintained

In order to ensure sufficient water supply in Metro Manila, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) and National Power Corp. (Napocor) have agreed to maintain Ipo Dam’s average water level at 99.8 meters.

This was agreed upon despite the continued decline in the water level of Angat Dam, which was measured at 201.05 meters as of 5 p.m. yesterday. This measurement indicates that the water level in Manila’s main reservoir is at least seven meters lower than its recorded level during the same period last year.

Nevertheless, water officials said the low water pressure and reduced hours of water availability will continue in certain parts of Metro Manila, since raw water releases from Angat Dam will be maintained at 39 cubic meters per second (cms).

Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Administrator Orlando Hondrade said this scenario will remain in effect until June 2007.

MWSS senior deputy administrator Macra Cruz said the 39 cms raw water supply might even decrease, depending on the actual water level in Angat Dam.

"The water elevation in Angat Dam is at least seven meters lower compared (to what it was) last year," Hondrade said. "Considering that the weather now is too hot and there is no rain or typhoon especially in the Angat watershed... and even the weather bureau has announced a prolonged El Niño... talagang kulang ang tubig (the water is really not enough)."

The supply of raw water for Metro Manila comes from Angat Dam. However, the water descends to the Ipo Dam before finally reaching the water treatment plants of private water distributors.

Hondrade said maintaining the 99.8-meter water level at Ipo Dam will prevent a repeat of "no water" incidence in many parts of the metropolis that occurred over the weekend.

The reduced raw water supply from Angat Dam caused the water level in Ipo Dam to drop to 96 meters to 97 meters. Ipo Dam’s normal water level is between 98 meters and 105 meters.

The NWRB, Napocor, MWSS, National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and the two water concessionaires — Maynilad and Manila Water — met yesterday morning to discuss and address last weekend’s water problem.