MANILA — The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) on Saturday warned about possible water interruption in various parts of Metro Manila and Cavite due to the decreasing water quality of the Laguna Lake.

Aside from the threat of the blue-green algae, pollution from the informal settlers, and the lake's high turbidity could block water filtration systems, said Engineer Patrick Dizon, a division manager at the MWSS' site operations management.

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This can lead to further water interruption in Cavite, Muntinlupa, and Parañaque due to maintenance operations of filtration facilities, he said, noting that this is ongoing in some areas.

"Ang problema natin ngayon... ay talagang hindi maganda 'yung water quality kasi doon ang tapon ng mostly mga kabahayan sa lakeshore at ang effect nito ang turbidity o lumalabo na tubig," said Dizon.

The water treatment they have in the Laguna Lake, he said, uses membrane filtration and osmosis, a reason why it was easy for algae to clog these.

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"Ang effect din noon ay eutrophication, sa madaling salita, ito yung mga lumot na nabubuhay sa tubig. Ito ay nagka-climb sa water treatment natin," he added.

"'Yung water quality kasi talaga... nandoon kasi yung tapon ng waste water from the west part ng Metro Manila... Nag-aaccumulate 'yung maduming tubig sa Muntinlupa eh nandoon ang water treatment [facilities]"

The engineer added that their counterparts in Singapore will arrive in Manila next week to look into the clogging, and to help them improve their technology and operations.

MWSS concessionaires also plan to finish the construction of 2 more water treatment facilities in the Laguna Lake's area in Rizal, he said.

This comes after the Laguna Lake Development Authority warned about the proliferation of blue-green algae, locally known as liya, which can complicate water filtration systems and cause fish kill in the water basin that supplies 80 percent of the milkfish and tilapia requirements of Metro Manila.

The MWSS source 9 percent of its water being distributed in Metro Manila from the Laguna Lake.

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