No water shortage — MWSS

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) has sought to allay fears that there is an impending water crisis, even as the water level at the Angat Dam, the main source of water supply for Metro Manila, continues to recede.

In a press conference, the MWSS assured the public that there is enough water at the Angat Dam to supply Metro Manila with water until June.

However, the agency admitted that the dam’s water level is lower than expected.

MWSS Administrator Orlando Hondrade said they are merely asking the public to conserve water in order to avoid future problems.

"We are monitoring the water level at Angat Dam twice a day and also all the other water sources supporting the Angat Dam. There is no water shortage. We can assure the public there is enough water for Metro Manila until June," he told reporters.

The MWSS said that 97 percent of drinking water for Metro Manila mainly comes from the surface water of the Angat Dam Reservoir, including water diverted from the Umiray River to Angat.The remaining three percent comes from ground water or deep wells.

MWSS Deputy Administrator Macra Cruz, on the other hand, said the current five percent reduction of the water supply by the National Water Resource Board (NWRB) has not affected the metropolis. But she pointed out that another five percent reduction may already affect some 80,000 households.

The MWSS summary report stated that a monthly inter-agency meeting is being conducted to discuss the water releases from Angat Dam.

The agency explained that there is normal rainful until September last year. However, starting October, a below normal rainfall was experienced in the area of Angat.

This, coupled with the additional use of the water at the main turbine of the Angat Dam for power generation by the National Power Corp. (Napocor), resulted in "a much lower level at the Angat Dam by about 4.50 meters below the rule curve.

The MWSS and two water concessionaires – Maynilad and Manila Water, have started its 60-hour cloud seeding program to induce rainful last Jan. 13. The project is being implemented 30 minutes everyday and is expected to add two meters of water to the reservoir.

As of yesterday, the Angat Dam registered a water level of 196.95 meters, which was about eight meters short of its normal rule curve of 205 meters.

"There is no water crisis. It is only that the level of Angat (Dam) is lower than what was expected," Cruz stressed.

"(Because) of the lower operating rule curve that we now have, the use of water in Angat should now be strictly regulated," she added.

The MWSS came up with two options for the management of Angat Dam’s water reserves — the gradual reduction of irrigation to farmlands by as much as 50 percent from April to May this year or the gradual reduction of irrigation to farmlands up to zero water distribution from April to June.

The MWSS is still urging the public to conserve water.