Angat’s water level dips to 205 meters

MANILA, Philippines — The water level in Angat Dam further dropped to 204.96 meters amid the current strong El Nino phenomenon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

PAGASA said that as of 6 a.m. yesterday, Angat’s water elevation decreased by 0.28 meters from the previous 205.24 meters.

The figure was 8.29 meters below the dam’s normal high water level of 212 meters, and is still 24.94 meters higher than its minimum operating level of 180 meters.

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

Jennifer Rufo, chief of Maynilad Water Services Inc. corporate communications office, reported an increase in the water demand in Metro Manila.

Rufo attributed the increase to the hot weather.

She warned that if the water allocation for Maynilad and Manila Water is reduced to 48 cubic meters per second from the current 50 cms in April, when the demand is expected to peak, it would be more difficult to meet the water requirement of consumers.

“We would have to make some system adjustments so that service levels would not be affected. At most, pressure management would be done to manage supply distribution and losses,” Rufo said.

Susan Abaño, policy and program division chief of the National Water Resources Board, earlier  said that while the allocation would remain at 50 cms this month, the board cannot sustain it amid the decline in the elevation of Angat Dam, which needs a minimum operating level of 180 meters.