Metro Manila: The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) has announced that Metro Manila residents should not expect any water shortages during the upcoming summer months. This announcement comes despite the anticipated increase in water demand as the region heads into the dry season, known for its intense heat.
According to Philippines News Agency, MWSS Engineering and Technical Operations Group Acting Deputy Administrator Patrick James Dizon expressed confidence that there will be no water supply issues. This assurance is based on the current high water elevation levels at Angat Dam, the primary source of Metro Manila's water supply. "For this year, we projected na hindi po magkakaroon ng water shortage kasi mataas nga po iyong naging (there will be no water shortage because we had a high) yearend elevation," Dizon stated during a Zoom interview. He further emphasized that it is unlikely for the water level in Angat Dam to fall to a critical level of 180 meters during the summer months.
Dizon also clarified that any water interruptions would only be due to regular maintenance activities, such as plant maintenance, valve operations, and leak repairs. "Hindi natin nakikita na magkakaroon ng water interruptions na ang reason ay iyong kakulangan ng tubig sa mga dam. Sufficient pa naman po iyong mga tubig mula sa ating mga (We are not seeing water interruptions due to shortage of water in dams. There's still sufficient water in our) dams," he explained.
Angat Dam, which supplies 90 percent of Metro Manila's water needs, ended December 2024 with a 212-meter water elevation. "Actually in the middle of January 2025, nag-spill pa nga tayo at inabot natin iyong highest elevation na (we even spilled and reached the highest elevation of) so far 215 meters," Dizon noted. Currently, the dam's water level stands at 213.26 meters, surpassing the normal elevation of 200 meters.
The MWSS projects that even with the average decrease in reservoir elevation, the water level will be at 201 meters by the end of April and 194 meters by the end of May. These levels are significantly higher than the 188-meter level recorded in May 2024. The typical summer elevation ranges from 190 to 200 meters, Dizon added.
The MWSS credits proper preparations and the beneficial effects of rains on watersheds for the continued sufficiency of water reservoirs. "Sa ngayon naman po nag-i-implement pa rin tayo ng mga additional water sources like iyong water treatment plants sa Laguna lake at iyong mga additional modular water treatment plant sa (For now, we are still implementing additional water sources like water treatment plants in Laguna lake and the additional modular water treatment plants in) Cavite and Marikina," Dizon said.
As of now, Laguna Lake provides 9 percent of Metro Manila's water demand, while the remaining 1 percent is covered by deep wells and modular treatment plants in Cavite and Marikina. Despite the optimistic outlook, Dizon reminded the public to conserve water to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
