Rain lessens drop in Angat water level

MANILA, Philippines — Rain and cloudy skies have lessened the drop in the water elevation of Angat Dam in the past two days, according to an official of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

Patrick Dizon, water and sewerage management department manager at the MWSS, said that from an average of 40 centimeters, the drop in the dam’s water level was reduced to 30 cm per day.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, the water level in Angat was 183.43 meters, or only .24 cm lower than its previous level of 183.67.

The dam’s elevation was 28.57 meters below its normal high water level of 212, and 3.43 meters above its minimum operating level of 180 meters. 

“We hope the trend would continue as we don’t want the reservoir to reach its critical level of 160 meters,” Dizon said.

Citing projections of the Angat technical working group, Dizon said the dam would likely not reach the critical level.

While the National Water Resources Board will cut water allocation for Metro Manila from 50 to 49 cubic centimeters, the National Irrigation Administration agreed to allow the MWSS and water concessionaires Maynilad Water Service Inc. and Manila Water to borrow one cms from the NIA allocation.

“Our allocation will go down to 49 cms from May 16 to 31. We have an agreement with NIA that we will borrow the one cm so we can ensure continuous  allocation for Metro Manila,” Dizon said.

He said the last cropping days would soon end and water for irrigation is not yet needed.

“There will be a rest month before farmers start preparing for the wet cropping season,” Dizon said.

Angat Dam supplies more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water needs and provides for the irrigation needs of 25,000 hectares of farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.