Regulator banks on La Niña to raise Angat Dam water level

The agency regulating the Angat Dam said Friday it hoped the La Niña could raise the level of Metro Manila's main water source. 

Recent rains have failed to raise the level of the dam in Central Luzon, which is now below the minimum operating level, said National Water Resources Board (NWRB) Executive Director Sevillo David Jr. Executive Director Sevillo David Jr. 

State weather bureau PAGASA predicts the country in the last quarter of the year will experience La Niña, a weather phenomenon characterized by more frequent rains than typical, he noted. 

"Iyan po ang inaasahan natin na magpapaulan nang sapat para po makabawi ang Angat Dam," he told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo. 

(That's what we expect will bring enough rains so the Angat Dam's level can rise.)

The NWRB currently prioritizes allocating water from Angat to domestic use in Metro Manila over other purposes, he said. The dam is also the source of agricultural irrigation. 

TeleRadyo, Sept. 11, 2020