MWSS water allocation from NWRB up in first half of June
THE Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) said on Thursday that it received a higher water allocation from the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) for the June 1 to 15 period.
Patrick James B. Dizon, manager with the MWSS water and sewerage management department, said the Metro Manila was allocated 51 cubic meters per second (cms) for the period.
That new water allocation is “2 cms higher from the previous approval of 49 cms” from May 16 to 31, he said.
“The decrease of reservoir elevation is now minimal (around 10-20 cm per day) comparing it to the last months (around 40-50 cm per day). This is expected based from our historical records. This quarter it will start to refill,” he said in a Viber message.
Angat Dam is the main source of water for Metro Manila, accounting for about 90% of the capital’s potable water.
As of 8 a.m. on Thursday, the water level in Angat Dam was 178.13 meters, lower than the 178.26 meters the previous day.
Last month, the government weather service, known as PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), announced the onset of rainy season.
PAGASA has said there was a high probability of La Niña setting in between July and September, which “increases the likelihood of above-normal rainfall conditions in some areas of the country, especially towards end of the year.”
Mr. Dizon said that MWSS supply outlook depends on the allocation provided by the NWRB.
“However, considering the projected rainfall in the coming months by PAGASA, we will maximize the inflows from the watershed to… mitigate water service interruptions,” he said. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera