Angat Dam below minimum operating level

MANILA, Philippines — The water level in Angat Dam has dropped to below its minimum operating level.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, the water level was down to 179.27 meters or 73 centimeters lower than its minimum operating level of 180 meters.

“It was only today that the dam suffered 41 centimeters (decrease in water level). In the past few days, the average daily drop in the water elevation in Angat Dam was only from 20 to 30 cms,” Patrick Dizon, water and sewerage management head of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), said.

“Hopefully, Aghon will pass the Angat watersheds to help improve the reservoir elevation,” Dizon said, referring to the tropical depression that has entered the Philippine area of responsibility.

He said the MWSS is waiting for the final decision of the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) if it will decrease the allocation for Metro Manila consumers.

Environment Undersecretary Carlos David had earlier said the NWRB would decrease the allocation from 49 cubic meters per second to 48 cms if the water level in Angat Dam would drop to below its minimum operating level.

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