Angat Dam breaches its minimum operating level at 179.9 masl on July 8, 2023. Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News MANILA -- The National Water Resources Board said it is likely to reduce the allocation of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System through its concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water beginning May 16 until the rains replenish the water in Angat Dam.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources Usec. Carlos Primo David, who heads the NWRB, projects that by May 20 or 21, Angat Water level will reach the minimum operating level of 180 meters.

David said the water supply in Angat needs to be stretched as the rainy season will also be delayed and there might be reduced rains during the transition from El Nino to La Nina.

But David assures consumers there will be no water interruption even with an allocation of 49 cubic meters per second. 

CAMPAIGN TO CONSERVE WATER

David said the Department of Interior and Local Government will come up with a directive to local government units to make sure residents in barangays do not use water indiscriminately.

Metro Manila Council Head San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said he has not yet received any official memo but the mayors will study it and implement the order from DILG.

MWSS Spokesman Patrick Dizon said that even if the allocation is reduced to 49 cms, there will be no water interruption since the National Irrigation Administration has agreed to lend 2 cms of its allocation to the concessionaires.

When asked for comment on the 49 cms allocation, Manila Water said the company needs to assess the situation first.

"As per our water supply operations team we will continue to assess until early next week the supply vs. demand before we come up with the final supply scheme at 49 CMS allocation. Sa ngayon, pressure reduction pa rin at off-peak hours but maybe covering a wider area of the East Zone," says Ditti Galang, Manila Water's spokesperson.

Maynilad has yet to issue a statement regarding the reduced allocation starting May 16.