Be prepared, folks. The amount of water in the Angat Dam, which supplies most parts of Metro Manila, is nearing the critical level.
The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) announced today that the water might drop to 180 meters this weekend, which is considered by experts as low.
As of 6am today, the water level at the Bulacan-located dam was 180.73 meters, reported ABS-CBN News. Sevillo David Jr., the NWRB’s director, said that the level may be as low as 173 meters next month.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) estimated that the dam’s water will go down to 180 meters on Sunday.
PAG-ASA hydrologist Edgar Dela Cruz told radio station Radyo Inquirer that once the level drops to 180 meters, there will be less water meant for irrigation. He said that the Bustos Dam, an irrigation dam located in Bustos, Bulacan, could end up getting closed if it doesn’t get enough water from Angat.
NWRB officials said, however, that cutting down on water meant for irrigation would have minimal effects on farms in Pampanga and Bulacan because it’s already harvesting season in the two provinces, reported GMA News.
They also assured that even if Angat’s level drops to 170 meters, its supply to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) will remain normal. Angat’s water is transported to the MWSS, which then delivers the water to various households in Metro Manila and nearby towns through its concessionaires, Manila Water and Maynilad.
Customers of Manila Water continue to experience water interruptions this week, such as those living in Binangonan, Angono, and Antipolo in Rizal and Taguig in Metro Manila, with some households not having access to water for as long as 18 hours. The water shortage has been ongoing since March 7.
The NWRB is now appealing to consumers to save water because the effects of the El Niño, a phenomenon where temperatures rise above normal levels, are expected to last until the end of 2019. They said that the water in Angat would rise slower this year due to the predicted lower than average rainfall.
Rain dance, anyone?
