THE rains have begun in Metro Manila but the schedule of water service interruptions will have to continue perhaps until September, according to the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) which is not recommending any adjustments in the supply at this time.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said several days of rains have started replenishing the water stored in Angat Dam, principal source of Metro Manila’s water supply. Angat’s water level had gone down below 160 meters during the hot months, necessitating substantial reductions in the water supply to Metro Manila. After several days of steady rain last week, the water level rose to 162.4 meters.
It should soon reach the critical low operating level of 180 meters, but that is still a long way to 210 meters, the normal level. PAGASA said this level should be reached around September with the continued rains brought by the “habagat” from the southwest and local thunderstorms, and hopefully two or four typhoons from the Pacific in August. Until then, we can expect no change in the current schedule of water rationing in Metro Manila.
We look forward to plans approved during the last water shortage to develop new water sources for the region’s fast-growing population. Manila Water in the East Zone has plans to tap Laguna de Bay and several deep-water wells. It has approved a partnership to tap the Wawa Dam to add 500 million liters a day (MLD) to its supply.
Maynilad in the West Zone is building a new water treatment plant to tap water from Laguna de Bay to add 150 MLD to its supply.
MWSS has asked the two concessionaires to partner up to build a new conveyance tunnel from La Mesa Dam which could add 2,400 MLD. Much further in the future, the MWSS is trying to develop the Kaliwa Dam, with financing assistance from China, which would add 600 MLD, but that is targeted for completion only by 2023.
We also hope that just as many buildings and homes in Metro Manila have installed solar panels to add solar power to their local mix of power sources, there will also be buildings and homes that will devise ways to save the rainwater that comes at this time of the year.
The rains have started but it should not be back to the usual for the agencies whose task it is to develop new water resources so that we will not have to go through this annual experience of water shortage and water rationing.
