NORZAGARAY, Bulacan—Metro Manila faces more water woes as turbid water started coming out of the Angat Dam here.
However, National Power Corporation (Napocor) officials opened two by-pass tunnels of the dam to address the situation.
Engineer Rodolfo German, general manager of the Angar River Hydroelectric Power Plant (Arhepp) of the Napocor that manages the dam, said water turbidity is one of the signs of very low water elevation at the dam.
Water elevation at the dam dipped to all time low of 157.54 meters above sea level (masl) a week ago, but it climbed to 158.75 masl as of 10 a.m. on Thursday.
He said that concessionaires of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) now need to put up extra effort in processing and filtering potable water being distributed to Metro Manila.
German said turbid water started coming out of the dam’s tunnel last week.
He said that it is partly due to rain inflows that scrawled the barren banks of the dam.
The same incident was recorded at the dam in late 2004 after late season typhoons Yoyong and Winnie hit Sierra Madre in early December that year and turned water coming out of the dam yellowish.
However, in the 2004 incident, water elevation at the dam was at least 200 masl deep.
Today, water elevation at the dam is so low that the dam’s lowest portal intake, which has been submerged for over 40 years, is now above water.
“Sobrang babaw ng tubig, lumitaw yung lowest portal intake namin,” German said and explained that the portal intake is where water comes in and passes through their power turbine.
To address water turbidity, German said that they opened their by-pass tunnels numbers 4 and 5 just to provide clear water to Manila residents.
As this developed, residents of Metro Manila with relatives in Bulacan and nearby provinces said they are planning to move out of Metro Manila.
Some of them are Bulakenyos who had been working and doing business in Metro Manila for years.
“Uuwi ko muna yung mga bata sa Bulacan,” said a businesswoman from Caloocan City who asked not to be named.
Her parents and siblings are still living in Hagonoy and Malolos City.
The businesswoman said that current water crisis in Metro Manila has alarmed her neighbors and fear possible outbreak of diseases due to shortage of water.
However, National Power Corporation (Napocor) officials opened two by-pass tunnels of the dam to address the situation.
Engineer Rodolfo German, general manager of the Angar River Hydroelectric Power Plant (Arhepp) of the Napocor that manages the dam, said water turbidity is one of the signs of very low water elevation at the dam.
Water elevation at the dam dipped to all time low of 157.54 meters above sea level (masl) a week ago, but it climbed to 158.75 masl as of 10 a.m. on Thursday.
He said that concessionaires of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) now need to put up extra effort in processing and filtering potable water being distributed to Metro Manila.
German said turbid water started coming out of the dam’s tunnel last week.
He said that it is partly due to rain inflows that scrawled the barren banks of the dam.
The same incident was recorded at the dam in late 2004 after late season typhoons Yoyong and Winnie hit Sierra Madre in early December that year and turned water coming out of the dam yellowish.
However, in the 2004 incident, water elevation at the dam was at least 200 masl deep.
Today, water elevation at the dam is so low that the dam’s lowest portal intake, which has been submerged for over 40 years, is now above water.
“Sobrang babaw ng tubig, lumitaw yung lowest portal intake namin,” German said and explained that the portal intake is where water comes in and passes through their power turbine.
To address water turbidity, German said that they opened their by-pass tunnels numbers 4 and 5 just to provide clear water to Manila residents.
As this developed, residents of Metro Manila with relatives in Bulacan and nearby provinces said they are planning to move out of Metro Manila.
Some of them are Bulakenyos who had been working and doing business in Metro Manila for years.
“Uuwi ko muna yung mga bata sa Bulacan,” said a businesswoman from Caloocan City who asked not to be named.
Her parents and siblings are still living in Hagonoy and Malolos City.
The businesswoman said that current water crisis in Metro Manila has alarmed her neighbors and fear possible outbreak of diseases due to shortage of water.
