THE Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) has assured anew that Metro Manila’s primary sources of water supply are stable and that there is enough water to last this summer season.
Still, MWSS said while the capacities of Angat, Ipo and La Mesa dams are enough, it is best to properly manage the dams and practice conservation to avoid any supply issues.
As of April 14, MWSS said Angat Dam’s water level is at 192.95 meters, or 4.42 meters higher than the normal rule curve elevation of 188.53 meters. While it is 4.42 meters above the lower rule curve, the water level is 1.18 meters less than the year-on-year upper operational curve of 192.95 meters.
La Mesa Dam, which is used as reserve raw water storage for emergencies or water shortage, is at 77.08 meters as of April 15, while the Ipo Dam is at 100.49 meters.
“Emphasis must be made that there is no disruption to the raw water supply to portals to trigger an emergency or water shortage to warrant withdrawal from the La Mesa reservoir. While there may have been disruptions in water supply availability, said disruptions are due to leak repairs, operational adjustments, and network maintenance activities to improve water supply availability,” the MWSS explained in a statement.
The agency also cited that weather outlook from April to September as predicted by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration indicates near normal rainfall.
“Though the summer heat and the spread of the COVID-19 had seen an uptick in domestic water consumption, we assure the public that mitigation measures and technical solutions are in place to optimize our existing water supplies,” the regulatory body said without identifying the actual demand growth.
