Angat water level rises; supply to last until summer

MANILA, Philippines - Metro Manila’s potable water supply is good for another six months as the water level at the Angat Dam was recorded at 199.25 meters yesterday.

This water elevation, however, is 10 meters lower than the average elevation at this time of the year, an official said.

Engineer Rodolfo German, general manager of the Angat River Hydro Electric Power Plant (Arhepp), said rainfall in the past few weeks contributed to the increased water elevation. 

He said the water level is expected to rise with the onset of La Niña, a weather phenomenon that brings above-normal rainfall, at the end of the year.

“We have enough water for Metro Manila until the summer months, and probably until the next rainy season if the forecasted La Niña will come true,” German said.

He also said they are releasing 32 cubic meters per second (cms) of water to Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). There is no need, however, to release water for irrigation.

Liza Sacdalan of the Municipal Agriculture and Fisheries Council of Plaridel town said most farmers in the province do not need water allocation at the moment because they are harvesting palay and would not be planting again until December. What they need right now, are flatbed dryers, she said.

There are flatbed dryers in the towns of Plaridel, Guiguinto, Baliuag, San Rafael, Calum­pit, Pulilan, Pandi, Bulacan, and Bustos but these are not enough.

The dryers are only capable of drying 70 to 80 cavans per day.