Angat dam breaches its minimum operating level at 179.9 masl on July 8, 2023. Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News/file

MANILA — The water level in Angat dam remains normal amid the dry season and El Niño, an official of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) said Thursday.

READ: No cut in Angat allocation for Manila Water, Maynilad 

MWSS Water and Sewerage Department manager Patrick Dizon said in a televised briefing that while the water in the dam has been going down by around 41 centimeters every day in the last five days, its levels are still far from being considered critical. 

“Ngayong alas-dose po ng hapon po ‘no ay nasa 187.12 meters po iyong elevation po ng ating Angat reservoir. So sa nakaraang limang araw, ay nasa around 41 centimeters ang average po ‘no na binababa ng atin pong tubig sa ating reservoir kada araw. So ito po ay within pa naman po sa atin pong upper at lower operating rule curve ng ating reservoir at malayo pa ito sa atin pong critical level na 160 meters,” Dizon said. 

The National Water Resources Board has maintained the daily water allocation of the MWSS of 4.3 billion liters of water per day despite the El Nino phenomenon. 

This allows the MWSS to continue supplying 90 percent of the water requirement of the entire MWSS service areas and prevent any water service interruption, Dizon said. 

He explained that the low water pressure experienced by some consumers is part of the MWSS initiatives to lower the consumption of water this summer, and prevent leakage in their system. 

“Pero ini-ensure naman namin na sa atin pong kababayan na hindi naman po tayo mawawalan po ng tubig sa mga oras po na magka-conduct kami ng mga pressure management strategies, at hihina lamang po iyong atin pong pressure po ng atin pong tubig,” Dizon said.

“Pero kung sakali man po na magkaroon ng mga water interruptions sa ating mga lugar ay ia-announce naman po natin ito in advance sa atin pong mga costumers," he added.

Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga also assured the public of continuous access to water despite the extreme heat. 

Yulo-Loyzaga, who graced the launch of a new climate change adaptation program by the Philippines and Canada, said she was in talks with water utility firms and government agencies to make sure there’s enough water supply to residents, especially in Luzon.

“In terms of Angat [Dam], we work very actively with different concessionaires, as well as MWSS, to see how we might be able to continuously deliver water supply. There will be announcements that are forthcoming, but as of this moment, my understanding is that we, as much as possible, would not like for water disruptions to actually happen,” she said.

She added that water rationing was not being discussed and they are focus on other ways like monitoring the water pressure to ensure that all will still have access to water even if supply is limited.

Yulo-Loyzaga said they can’t impose fines for individuals or companies who use too much water, but the department is in talks with local government units on water conservation efforts.

“We do request the local government to work with their constituents in order to observe conservation on the ground. And that’s where we have to work through as part of government’s decision to aggressively address the current shortage of supply,” she said.

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