Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 10) – Water interruptions will continue in Metro Manila as supply needs to be managed, concessionaires said Wednesday.
Manila Water Company, Inc. (Manila Water) and Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) said during the House hearing on concession agreements that the 24/7 availability of water to their consumers is not yet possible because of lower allocation from the National Water Resources Board (NWRB).
Maynilad and Manila Water officials said they still continue to receive less than the regular supply, responding to queries by Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite during the joint hearing of the House committees on good government and public accountability,and public accounts.
“Doon po sa aming initial allocation, dapat po 46 cubic meters per second (cms) ngunit nakikita ng NWRB na bumababa ang lebel ng tubig sa Angat Dam,” said Manila Water board member Tony Aquino.
[Translation: In our initial allocation, we were supposed to receive 46 cms, but the NWRB sees that the water level of Angat Dam has been decreasing.]
Aquino said to prevent shortage in other affected areas, supply has to be managed while water level in Angat Dam has yet to normalize.
“Sa aming pananaw, nararapat po na as a minimum, maipagpatuloy ng NWRB ang pagbalanse ng tubig na nanggagaling sa Angat…sa tingin ko medyo imposible po na mabalik tayo sa 46 cms eh. As a minimum, dapat po sana ma-retain itong 40 cms all the way until summer para ‘yung level of services natin–na alam natin kulang pa kung nasa 46 tayo–ay magpapatuloy,” he said.
[Translation: In our view, as a minimum, the NWRB should continue balancing water supply coming from Angat…we think that it is still impossible for us to return to 46 cms. As a minimum, 40 cms should be retained all the way until summer so that the level of services–even if we know that is insufficent compared with the usual 46 cms–will continue.]
Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito Fernandez said, “We can only distribute what we have.”
The water firms also bared that Kaliwa Dam, which could serve as Metro Manila’s medium-term water source, will only be completed in three years.
Metro Manila residents were hit with water shortage earlier this year, causing rotational water interruptions in thousands of households.
The MWSS confirmed in the same hearing that it had revoked the resolution extending the concession agreements with both firms to 2037. The contracts will now expire in 2022.
READ: MWSS revokes contract extension of Maynilad, Manila Water
On Tuesday, both firms have agreed not to impose a price hike originally set for January 2020.
Maynilad and Manila Water also said they will no longer demand from the government a ₱10.8-billion compensation based on the ruling of the Singapore Permanent Court of Arbitration in November, in line with the wish of President Rodrigo Duterte.
READ: Manila Water, Maynilad will not increase water rates in January 2020
