The Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) on Wednesday said that they will be asking additional allocations from the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) for the two water concessionaires the Greater Manila area.
Officials from the MWSS along with Maynilad and Manila Water held a meeting to discuss the water supply and projection until the onset or effects of the El Nino Phenomenon.
They agreed that there is an urgent need to preserve the water especially at the Angat Dam, which supplies some 90 percent of the water to Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
During the meeting, the MWSS said that to either avoid or lessen the hours of the water interruptions, they will be asking the NWRB for additional allocations.
They also asked the water concessionaires to help each other.
“We try to get the assistance ng dalawang konsesyonaryo, magtulungan sila para po mabawasan yung malawakang interruption ng Maynilad,” Jose Dorado Jr.- Deputy Administrator for Engineering and Technical operations Group, MWSS said.
(We try to get the assistance of the two concessionaires, to help each other to lessen the impact of the water interruption of Maynilad,” Jose Dorado Jr., Deputy Administrator for Engineering and Technical operations Group, MWSS said.
“May possibility po kasi na si Manila Water, magbigay ng tubig galing sa cross-border system nila makakatulong po ito para mabawasan po ang water interruption,” he added.
(There is a possibility that Manila Water can give cross-border systems to help with the water interruption)
The MWSS said they are asking for an additional 2 cubic meters of water.
Presently, the allocation is 50 cubic meters per second, and they want to increase it to 52.
“Kung papayagan po ito ma a-address po yung problema ni Maynilad dahil po madaragdagan ang Supply sa Distribution network ng Maynilad,” Dorado said.
He said this way the water interruptions may be ceases or the hours lessened.
The NWRB has yet to issue any statement.
Meanwhile Maynilad said they are still implementing the water service interruption as a form of preparation for the El Nino effects.
“Nababahala tayo kasi alam natin na mayroong parating na El Niño, minabuti natin na gumawa ng conservation para ma-stretch natin yung remaining stored water sa ating dams,” Jennifer Rufo, head of Corporate Communications of Maynilad said.
As of March 29, the water level for Angat is at 202.84 meters, above the 180 meters normal operating level.
Ipo dam is at 98.73 meters while La Mesa is at 76.48 meters.
The MWSS earlier said that there should be no water interruptions since the water level is normal.
Maynilad earlier projected the water interruptions to prevail for the entire “summer” as they prepare for the El Niño phenomenon.
According to Maynilad, households in major parts of Metro Manila and Cavite will have low water pressure or at times no water.
Maynilad said the water interruption, affects portions of Manila, Quezon City, Valenzuela, Malabon, Caloocan, Navotas, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Makati, and Pasay.
The said water interruption will affect more than one million households.
It will also affect residents in Bacoor City; Cavite City; Imus City; Kawit, Cavite; and Rosario, Cavite.
The water interruptions will last for 14 hours each day until April 7.
Maynilad said that while the water level in Angat Dam remains at a “comfortable” level of 203.29 meters, which is above the 180 meters minimum operating level, they are still preparing since the El Nino phenomenon will mean that refilling the dam with water would be hard.
Catherine R. Cueto
