The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) over the weekend said that they do not expect the water level in Angat Dam to reach critical level during the dry months.

Engineer Jose Dorado Jr., MWSS deputy administrator for engineering and technical operations group, said that based on their test runs, it is not expected to go down to the critical level.

“Lumabas po sa simulation namin noong March 12, aabot sa 184 meters by end of July. Ang minimum operating level natin is 180 so mataas pa po tayo ng four meters kung tuloy tuloy po iyong trend ng curve na na-simulte para sa supply para sa Angat reservoir,” Engineer Jose Dorado Jr., MWSS deputy administrator for engineering and technical operations group, said.

(Based on our simulation last March 12, it will reach 184 meters by the end of July. The minimum operating level is 180. That means we are still four meters higher, should the trend of the curve simulated for the supply for the Angat reservoir continue.)

But to have the dam refilled will be a challenge with state weather forecasters saying they expect the El Niño phenomenon to start in June.

“Below average na rainfall condition ang ating inaasahan so mainit iyong panahon tapos kaakibat nito iyong mga pag-ulan baka mas uminit pa iyong panahon dahil wala pong weather system na magpapaulan sa’tin,” PAGASA weather specialist Dan Villamil said.

(We expect below average rainfall conditions, so the weather will be hot. Maybe the weather will get even hotter because there is no weather system that will give us rain.)

Angat Dam is the main source of water for Metro Manila.

It supplies about 90 percent of raw water requirements for Metro Manila through the facilities of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.

Currently, the water level in Angat, Ipo, and La Mesa Dams are slightly below normal.

In 2019, Angat Dam’s water level was recorded below the critical level of 160 meters. It goes down yearly with the demand for water increasing during the hot months or “summer.”

WATER SUPPLY PROBLEMS

Meanwhile, water concessionaire Maynilad said that several Metro Manila and Cavite areas experienced water service interruptions or low pressure on Saturday as the water demand at the Bagbag Reservoir increased.

Among the areas affected were parts of Caloocan, Manila, Malabon, Makati, Quezon City, Parañaque City, and Pasay City.

In Cavite, those affected were Bacoor, Imus, Novoleta, Rosario, and Kawit.

Manila Water on the other hand, said that six villages in Antipolo City, Rizal will have no water supply on March 28-29.

According to the water utility, this is due to the repair of the leaks at Langhaya Bridge along Marcos Highway in Barangay Inarawan.

A total of 15,110 households in the following villaged will be affected.

The temporary water service interruption from 9 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28 to 7 a.m. on Wednesday, March 29.

Among those affected are: Dela Paz; Bagong Nayon; San Luis; San Isidro; San Juan; and Inarawan.

Residents in the said villages were advised to store enough water.

Catherine R. Cueto