Manila Water, Maynilad prepare for reduced Angat water allocation

Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) concessionaires said they are taking necessary preparations in anticipation of potential water supply reductions sourced from Angat Dam due to El Niño,

The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) recently planned on deducting the water allocation for MWSS because of Angat Dam’s decreasing trend since the beginning of the year.

The board shared on Thursday, Feb. 29,  that they must lower the Angat supply from 50 cubic meters per second (cm/s) in March, down to 46 or 48 in the coming months to maintain the dam’s minimum operating level, a crucial mitigation process during the dry season.

While the change of amount is subject to a thorough discussion between the board and other organizations involved, this meant that Manila Water Co. and Maynilad Water Services, Inc. would have to adjust according to the possible effects of the lower Angat supply.

Dittie L. Galang, Manila Water’s corporate communications head, said that they were already expecting the board to reduce the supply allocation, and have already made their plan of action to lessen the inconvenience to the eastern Metro Manila consumers.

“We’ve been planning for contingencies way ahead of the onset [since early last year], through regular maintenance of facilities, water lines, and equipment and continuous non-revenue water [NRW]  recovery through aggressive leak repairs and pipe replacement projects,” she said.

In case the NWRB did finalize reducing its Angat water delivery to the concessionaires, Manila Water has augmented new water sources, such as two water treatment plants (WTP) which draw supply from Laguna Lake.

“We also have deep wells across the concession area which are either already operating or ready to start operating should the need arise,” Galang added.

Other projects from Manila Water are also said to be underway and are said to be an alternate solution to Angat’s water.

Jennifer Rufo, Maynilad’s corporate communications head, said that the company was able to generate additional supply from their augmentation projects, similar to the east zone water supplier.

“If the allocation is reduced to 48 cm/s at a time when we expect demand to peak, it would be more difficult to meet consumers’ water requirements,” she emphasized.

Maynilad, being the largest private concessionaire, will need system adjustments to minimize the impact of supply to its consumers in the west zone of Metro Manila.

“At most, pressure management would be done to manage supply distribution and losses,” Rufo explained.

Additionally, Manila Water will also adjust if the reduced allocation pulls through by April or May, while also providing ample time for customers to prepare for the interruptions.

“If NWRB reduces allocation to MWSS to 48 CMS, Manila Water may already implement pressure reduction during off-peak demand hours [overnight] and at 46 cm/s, we might already implement service interruptions in some areas,” Galang said.

“Ultimately, the impact will also depend on the level of demand, the reason why we encourage all consumers to manage their water consumption as early as now. Prioritize water use for activities that are critical for maintaining health and sanitation,” Rufo added.

Maynilad advised its consumers to expect water disruptions in case the allocation goes down by 46 cm/s but would make sure that these activities will be done during late evenings or early mornings.

Meanwhile, Manila Water also set straight that billings will not change despite the possible Angat Water decrease, stating that “the customer’s water bill records their consumption within the month, and the amount due is based on their rate class, i.e. domestic, semi-business, commercial, or industrial. If the consumption behavior of the customer remains the same despite lower pressure or service interruptions, their bill will most probably remain the same.”

The current level of Angat is 205.93 meters, which is 12.7 meters lower than its spill level during the yearend 2023. — Gabriel Christel Galang