Use water wisely, public urged

MANILA, Philippines — The public has been advised to conserve water and support efforts to ensure ample supply as the country faces a drought due to El Niño.

Climate scientists said this year might be the warmest year on record.

Although there is enough supply, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) administrator Reynaldo Velasco urged the public to conserve water to help cushion the effects of El Niño, which delays the onset of the rainy season.

“Since we primarily source our water from the Angat-Ipo-La Mesa water system, we have to do our share to help lessen the effects of El Niño not only in our households and industries, but also on agriculture,” Velasco said. 

Potable water supply is a priority during drought events while allocation for agricultural irrigation and power generation is reduced.

Water from Angat Dam passes through Ipo Dam, where it is released to La Mesa Dam, which has a 47-cubic-meter-per-second (cms) allocation of water from Angat.

The figure is higher than the 44 cms the government normally earmarks for La Mesa Dam during the dry season.

The water level in La Mesa is below normal level, prompting calls for conservation from concerned sectors to maintain water reserve availability.

As of March 5, the reservoir’s water level was 69.47 meters, down from its normal high level of 80.15 meters. 

With the onset of the dry season, the increasing consumer demand for water contributed to the decline in the water level.

“However, this does not mean that a water shortage is looming in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces, unless water conservation is disregarded until the rainy season starts,” the MWSS said.