Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17) — Consumers benefitting from Angat Dam should be ready to face water rationing if rains dwindle, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
While Environment Secretary Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said there is no water crisis yet, she stressed that the water supply is \”still quite precarious\” but manageable.
Recent downpours triggered by Tropical Depression Dodong and the southwest monsoon were able to replenish Angat Dam. Its water level dipped below the minimum operating level of 180 meters last week, which prompted regulators to reduce the water allocation.
As of Monday morning, the water level in Angat Dam is back at 180 meters, which the DENR said will only be good for up to a week’s use.
“What will happen is if it doesn’t improve, we have few more days of water supply na medyo maayos-ayos pa,” Loyzaga said Monday. “But if the rainfall doesn’t continue, talagang babalik po tayo sa rationing.”
[Translation: What will happen is if it doesn’t improve, we have a few more days of water supply that is still relatively stable. But if the rainfall doesn’t continue, we will definitely go back to rationing.]
To respond to the water demand, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) stressed the importance of building another water source like the Kaliwa Dam.
READ: Gov’t seeks to lessen dependence on Angat Dam as water level dips DENR
\”Now the population is 20 million for the whole service area of MWSS. And for redundancy, to address the growing demand, we really need this Kaliwa Dam and the succeeding phase 2 of Kaliwa Dam,\” said MWSS administrator Leonor Cleofas.
