Water supply for Metro seen to drop further

MANILA, Philippines — The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) will further decrease the 50 cubic meters per second (CMS) allocation for Maynilad and Manila Water in August if the water level of Angat Dam will continue to drop.

NWRB executive director Sevillo David Jr. said Angat Dam’s water level dropped to 182.86 meters yesterday, which is 2.86 meters away from its critical level of 180 meters.

“It will depend on the situation of the dam. If the drop in the water level will persist after July, we may adjust again the allocation,” David told The STAR.

The water level of Angat Dam is expected to reach its critical level of 180 meters in the next few days, the NWRB said.

The reduced water allocation of 50 CMS for the two concessionaires will take effect beginning tomorrow.

As of 6 a.m. yesterday, the water level of Angat Dam decreased further to 182.86 meters from 183.17 meters on Wednesday.

David earlier said contingencies are in place amid the threat of the El Niño phenomenon.

The water level of Angat Dam reached 116 meters in 2019 amid the water crisis experienced due to the dry spell.

In a separate text message, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System deputy administrator Jose Dorado Jr. said the NWRB would be forced to stop providing water for irrigation once the water level of Angat Dam reaches 180 meters.

“If Angat’s water level drops to 180 (meters), there will be zero allocation for irrigation. The available water will be allocated for domestic supply only,” Dorado said.

Angat Dam supplies more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water needs and provides for the irrigation of 25,000 hectares of farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.

“We need to be prepared if the level of Angat Dam reaches its lowest like in 2019,” Dorado said.

He said a cut in the water allocation for Metro Manila would result in rotating water interruptions.