Rains fail to sustain Angat water level

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the moderate to heavy rains being experienced in different parts of Bulacan, the water elevation in Angat Dam slightly receded yesterday morning.

Monitoring by the provincial government of Bulacan showed that water elevation in Angat Dam as of 8 a.m. yesterday was recorded at 161.43 meters compared to the 161.68 meters on Friday – a decrease of 0.25 meters.

This showed that water consumption for Metro Manila residents is greater than the rains being dumped by the southwest monsoon inside the Angat water reservoir.

Water allocation from Angat Dam is prioritized for Metro Manila potable water supply, followed by power generation for electricity and lastly for irrigation in Bulacan and some parts of Pampanga’s farmlands.

The dam’s normal high water level for the rainy season is 212 meters, its minimum operating water level is at 180 meters and its critical water level is 160 meters.

Usually, water allocation for irrigation supply is stopped when the dam’s water elevation reaches the 180-meter level and its water supply is purely dedicated to the water needs of Metro Manila residents.

On June 29 this year, the dam’s water elevation was recorded at 157.99 meters or 2.01 meters below the 160-meter critical level.

Since June 30, the dam’s water elevation started rising slightly until it reached 161.68 meters on Friday, before receding yesterday.