Water allocation for Metro Manila will stay at 36 cubic meters per second until next week, the National Water Resources Board said Thursday while scattered rainshowers were falling on the metropolis.
The agency’s executive director, Sevillo David Jr., said although the water level at Angat Dam in Bulacan had continued to go plunge every day, the two water concessionaires of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System—Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Co. Inc.—would still receive a daily water allocation of 36 cms.
“We have decided to maintain the allocation of 36 cms until the end of June and first week of July,” he said.
Meanwhile, the head of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System on Thursday said he would recommend the use of paramilitary troops to stop the deforestation of watersheds, which environmentalists had blamed for the recurring water crisis in Metro Manila.
The deforestation of Angat and Ipo watersheds in Bulacan has been blamed by the Sagip Sierra Madre Environmentalist Society Inc. as key reasons for the decreasing water supply from the reservoirs.
At the same time, informed sources said informal settlers in the watersheds area had engaged in illegal logging and charcoal making.
As of 6 a.m. Thursday, the dam’s elevation went down to 158.15 meters.
The metro’s water allocation used to be at 46 cms.
Angat dam supplies 96 percent of the Metro’s safe and potable water.
Despite thunderstorm rains mostly in the afternoon, the dam’s level continued to dip by .025 meters or 25 centimeters.
David said they were hoping the southwest monsoon would spawn more rains this week until next week to help increase the water level of Angat Dam.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, monsoon rains would dampen many parts in the country.
Light to moderate monsoon rains, however, could trigger flash floods and landslides in the National Capital Region, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro, and Palawan.
Cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers will prevail over the provinces in Ilocos, the Visayas, the rest of Central Luzon, the regions of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan, and Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon.
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