Handwashing not a problem as NCR gets more water

MANILA, Philippines-- There should be no reason anymore not to regularly wash your hands to protect yourself from the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

On Thursday, water regulators announced they are adding water allocations to Metro Manila's water concessionaires, bringing them back to the original level before the water crisis last year.

"This is to ensure steady water supply for Metro Manila considering the declaration of the state of public health emergency and the importance of water in undertaking the preventive measures against coronavirus disease-2019," the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) said in a statement posted on its website.

From 42 cubic meters per second, Manila Water Company Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. will now each get the original 46 cms of water to distribute to its customers in the capital and in areas in Cavite. At that level previously, water used to flow out of the tap for 24 hours in the capital.

The announcement came as the Philippines escalates its fight against the spread of COVID-19, which has as of Thursday, 8 a.m., has infected 49 individuals, two of whom died eventually due to complications of the disease. Another 68 people are under observation for possible infection.

It's a welcome development as health officials urged Filipinos to regularly and thoroughly wash their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds to protect themselves against the deadly virus, all while also practicing social distancing.

Before the NWRB announcement, both Maynilad and Manila Water have been scheduling rotational water interruptions in their service areas, a preemptive strategy meant to maximize water supply coming from Angat Dam where more than 97% of the capital's water emanates.

The occasional to daily water interruptions started late last year when it became likely that water supply in Angat will start 2020 at a level below it did in 2019, an indication that a supply crisis may get a repeat this dry season.

Specifically, water in Angat ended January at 202.93 meters, below the 211.18 meters in January 2019, NWRB data showed.

That said, regulators were quick to assure the public that despite increasing water allocations to concessionaires starting Thursday, "water will be sustainably available throughout the year."

As of 8 a.m. on Thursday, water level in Angat dipped 12 cm overnight to 200.58 meters. The level at La Mesa Dam, whose water goes through Angat and supplement supply, was also down 5 cm to 76.95 meters, below its normal operating level of 78-79 meters.