The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) said water from Angat Dam must be conserved to ensure sufficient supply for the summer of 2024.
The state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has predicted that the El Nino dry spell might last until 2024.
Nonetheless, the PAGASA allayed fears on the declining water level of the Angat Dam, which provides 90 percent of Metro Manila’s water demand.
This means that the water allocation of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and its concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water could change by July and the succeeding months.
NWRB executive director Dr. Sevillo David said they allowed for the last time the extension of the 52 cubic meters per second allocation from June 16 to 30 this year.
If the expected rains don’t come in to replenish the Angat and Ipo reservoirs, there could be water service interruptions for 630,000 Maynilad customers from nighttime until early morning, according to estimates, the NWRB said.
However, the interruptions might be averted if the rains could fill the dams to capacity.
The MWSS has urged ordinary consumers to conserve and harvest rainwater if possible, in order to lessen dependence and consumption from concessionaires.
If each household could fill a regular-sized drum with rainwater, that translates into the daily consumption of a regular family, David said.
The rainwater could be used to flush the toilets, clean the house and water the plants, thereby lessening the pressure on Maynilad and the Manila Water.
“’Yung level ngayon ng Angat Dam is still manageable, dahil above pa siya doon sa rule curve na pamantayan ng water level na dapat andoon siya. So far, ‘di pa naman critical,” Berlin Mercado,
hydrometeorological telemetry section chief, said during a press conference.
“’Yung rule curve ‘yung nagsasabing kaya pang ibigay ang lahat ng pangangailangan [sa tubig],” acting PAGASA administrator Dr. Esperanza Cayanan added.
As of 6 a.m., the reservoir level was at 185.89 meters, more than three meters above the rule curve elevation of 182.47 meters.
Cayanan reiterated that the water level in Angat Dam usually increases when El Niño coincides with the rainy season.
“Sa ngayon, ‘di pa talaga natin nararanasan ‘yung monsoon rains, ‘di pa dumarating ‘yung mga bagyo. Pero sa historical records, tumataas po ang water level ng Angat Dam in an El Niño year ng June, July, and August. Medyo towards the last quarter, pababa na so may nakikita pa po tayong posibilidad na mga bagyo, pag-ulan ng Habagat na puwede pang magpataas sa Angat Dam. Sa ngayon, hindi pa tayo dapat mangamba,” Cayanan expounded.
Because of the expected rains, cloud-seeding initiatives should remain off the table.
“Kung kailangan ng cloud-seeding operations, sa palagay namin hindi pa po ngayon kailangan ito. Kailangan po ito kung wala na tayong ini-expect na mga pag-ulan at talagang kritikal na ‘yung ating water level ng mga dams natin bago dumating ‘yung tag-init next year,” Cayanan said.