Angat Dam strengthened vs quakes

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) has been adopting measures to strengthen Angat Dam and other water structures in the wake of recent earthquakes that rocked various parts of the country.

MWSS administrator Reynaldo Velasco said K-Water and its local partner San Miguel Corp. successfully facilitated the Angat Dam and Dyke Strengthening Project (ADDSP), which he claimed was a big step toward ensuring the structural integrity of the dam for it to withstand a magnitude 7.2 earthquake.

Velasco said that immediately after the recent earthquake in Luzon and Metro Manila, the MWSS dispatched engineers to assess the Angat, Ipo and La Mesa dams.

“Despite the challenges and difficulties that may arise, we have to be aggressive in putting on track our disaster preparedness program as well as in developing dependable alternative new water sources since 96 percent is supplied by the Angat Dam,” Velasco said.

He said specific projects have been undertaken to ensure the structural integrity of Angat such as the P260-million flood forecasting and warning system on dam operation and the P292-million flood control protection works, which have been completed under the ADDSP.

Velasco cited the need for a pragmatic and doable water security plan to cushion the effects of an earthquake that could potentially damage Angat Dam, the primary water source for Metro Manila and neighboring provinces of Rizal and Cavite.

“The need for a new water security plan is now a major concern of the government, especially for the Philippines with growth centers like Metro Manila that greatly depend on one water source like Angat Dam,” he said.

In a joint meeting between officials of the National Disasters Risk Reducation and Management Council (NDRRMC) and Earthquake Resiliency Team for the Water Sector, a total of 109 existing deep wells that could be re-activated in case of a disaster were identified.

 To ensure water potability, regular maintenance check-up is to be conducted.

An agreement between the MWSS, through its concessionaires, and the National Water Resources Board mandates the conduct of periodic monitoring of water quality.

In case of a disaster, there are nine available mobile water treatment plants, 43 static water tanks and 79 mobile water tankers that can be deployed.

There are also 64 water reservoirs with a total capacity of 1,222 million liters per day (MLD).

The Maynilad facility reservoirs have a 711MLD capacity while Manila Water has 511 MLD.

The MWSS crafted a water security roadmap that will provide potable and sustainable water supply in the next five to 10 years and even 50 years at an increase of at least 1,518 MLD by 2022.

Authorities are fast-tracking projects under the new water security roadmap. These are the 150 MLD Putatan, 100 MLD Cardona, 188 MLD Sumag, 50 MLD Rizal Wellfield, 80 MLD Calawis Wawa, 100 MLD Putatan 3 and the 250-MLD Lower Ipo dam projects.

There is also the 600-MLD Kaliwa Dam project, whose implementation begun in 2017 and is expected to be completed in 2023.

To complement the New Water Security Roadmap 2019-2022 is the need to fast-track the completion of Aqueduct 6 and Tunnel 4, both expected to be operationalized by January 2020, Velasco said.

The MWSS also expects to complete by June 2022 the Aqueduct 7 and Tunnel 5, which are now on stream to provide another 1,600 MLD to the La Mesa reservoir.

The completion of these aqueducts and tunnel system will optimize the flow of excess water from Angat to La Mesa Dam.

Velasco cited the need to closely collaborate with all stakeholders especially with its concessionaires Manila Water, Maynilad and Bulacan Bulk Water.

He said the water shortage being experienced in the East Zone since March demonstrated how teamwork can address a crisis.

“Cross-border sharing between Manila Water and Maynilad was among the short-term solutions to the water crisis,” Velasco said.

“The water crisis also resulted in the activation of deep wells to augment dwindling water supply,” he added.

Quake rocks Mindoro

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake rocked the municipality of Rizal in Occidental Mindoro yesterday morning, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

The epicenter of the tremor, which occurred at 9:05 a.m., was located 23 kilometers southwest of Rizal.

The quake, which was tectonic in origin, was felt at Intensity 5 in Rizal and San Jose, both in Occidental Mindoro as well as in Calapan in Oriental Mindoro.

Intensity 4 was felt in Abra de Ilog, also located in Occidental Mindoro, and Intensity 3 in Lipa, Batangas; Malay, Nabas & Ibajay towns, all in Aklan; Libertad in Antique and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro.

The quake was felt at Intensity 2 in El Nido, Palawan; San Nicolas, Batangas and Manila.

Although no damage has been reported, the quake was expected to generate aftershocks.