MWSS retains water allocation for Metro Manila
By Sheldeen Joy Talavera, Reporter
THE METROPOLITAN Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) said on Tuesday that it is able to retain its water allocation of 50 cubic meters per second (cms) for Metro Manila from the National Water Resources Board (NWRB).
“Based on the information we received, [the water allocation] was not reduced. We are able to maintain 50 cms allocation for the month of April,” Patrick James Dizon, head of the MWSS Angat/Ipo operations management division, said in a televised briefing. “For now, we are thinking of implementing pressure management measures to manage the water we receive from the Angat Dam,” he added.
This is to reduce the losses in the system and the consumption of the customers. He noted, however, that the water concessionaires would implement pressure reduction during off-peak demand hours.
Angat Dam is the main source of water for Metro Manila, accounting for about 90% of the capital’s potable water.
In view of the recurrent El Niño climate pattern being experienced in the country, managing water in Angat Dam has become crucial for mitigating its impacts on agriculture and ensuring sufficient potable water supply for Metro Manila.
EL NIÑO DAMAGE HITS P1.75B
Agricultural damage spawned by severe droughts due to El Niño has already reached P1.75 billion, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Tuesday.
The DA’s damage report stated rice as being the most affected crop at 64.40% with an amount running up to P1.13 billion. Damage to corn was valued at P317.86 million, while high-value crops absorbed a loss of P305.55 million. Livestock damage hit P59,600.
Estimated output losses from the 32,231 hectares that were impacted by the dry spell include 7,794 metric tons (MT) for high-value crops, 18,966 MT for corn, and 48,332 MT for palay.
“More than dwelling on the cost of damage, we are focusing more on how to assist the close to 30,000 farmers in different regions whose lands have been affected by drought. We assure them of our continued support as we try to mitigate the effects of El Niño on their livelihood and daily lives,” Presidential Communications Office Assistant Secretary Jose Maria M. Villarama II told BusinessWorld via Viber.
In response to these developments, the DA said it has distributed more than P379 million worth of assistance in financial, seeds, and fertilizers to farmers.
The DA-Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), in collaboration with relevant agencies like the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (DoST-PAGASA) and Department of National Defense-Philippine Air Force (DND-PAF), is conducting cloud seeding operations to ease water shortage, targeting agricultural areas in Southern Cagayan and Northern Isabela. As a result, light to moderate rainfall is experienced over these areas,” the DA added.
Meanwhile, 750 water augmentation pumps were installed by the National Irrigation Administration in five regions to ensure water source.
Concreting of irrigation canals also improved to 847.82 kilometers, helping more than 40,000 farmers nationwide. While desiltation of irrigation canals was done, improving the water flow of 3,167.95 kilometers of irrigation canals nationwide.
“While we are not discounting the fact that the agricultural damage caused by El Niño continues to rise, we believe that the preventive measures that have been put in place since last year have helped cushion the impact of the phenomenon on our farmlands,” Mr. Villarama added.
As of Tuesday morning, the water level in Angat Dam is at 201.23 meters, lower than the 201.03 meters seen the previous day. This was still above the dam’s minimum operating level of 180 meters.
The water level at the reservoir is going down an average of 17 centimeters since the start of the year.
“For now, we are not seeing if we will reach a minimum operating level of 180 meters based on the weather forecast of PAGASA,” Mr. Dizon said.
He added that there is an expected rainfall over the watersheds as the state weather bureau already issued its La Nińa Watch which showed a 55% chance of developing between April and June. — with a report from Chloe Mari A. Hufana