MANILA, November 7 ------ The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) said that the water at Angat Dam, which supplies 90 percent of the domestic water supply in Metro Manila, is nearing the target elevation. In a press conference during the 19th Asia Water Council Board of Council Meeting, MWSS Administrator Leonor Cleofas said the current water elevation of Angat dam is at a "very comfortable" level, allaying fears of a looming shortage due to the potential impacts of El Niño. "Right now it’s about 209/208.8 meters and we are nearing the 210 normal operating level,” said Cleofas.
Cleofas noted that water concessionaires in Metro Manila such as Maynilad and Manila Water also have their own plans to mitigate the effects of El Niño on the region’s water supply. “Our three concessionaires have also laid down programs that will really help, if ever, we have really scarcity of water in our main source of water which is Angat,” she added.
But Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Carlos David, who heads the Water Resources Management Office, said ensuring enough water supply for the rest of the country is a different issue altogether. “If El Niño intensifies during the first quarter of 2024, there’s enough supply for Metro Manila. Beyond Metro Manila is a different story. We will have to go through each and every water service provider and make sure that they will have enough water during the first quarter of next year and, potentially, if the El Niño extends to the second quarter,” said David.
Aside from working with local water concessionaires, the MWSS has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Korea Water Resources Corporation or K-Water to better facilitate knowledge sharing and exchange of best practices and innovations regarding water resource and management in the face of climate change.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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