MALOLOS CITY—The National Power Corporation (Napocor) reiterated its call for Metro Manila residents to conserve water to avoid possible supply interruption.
This came as water level at the giant Angat Dam further dropped to 181.92 meters above sea level (masl) yesterday,
just over one meter before it the 180 masl critical level. Napocor President Gladys Cruz-Sta.Rita made assurance that cloud seeding operation over Angat Dam will be implemented this week.
“It is time to conserve water para ma-avoid ang possible supply interruptions,” said Engineer Rodolfo German in an interview. As general manager of the Angat River Hydroelectric Power Plant of the Napocor which manages the Angat Dam and its 53,000-hectare watershed, German said water elevation at the dam is now dropping at rate of .30 meter to about half meter every day.
He said that water level at the dam is expected to hit the critical 180 masol within days, if there is no rainfall within the watershed. German also explained that at present, the bulk of water from the dam is being supplied for potable water needs of Metro Manila and nearby areas like Rizal province and parts of Cavite and Bulacan.
This is through the Manila Water Corporation Incorporated (MWCI) which supplies Metro Manila’s east zone which includes cities in Rizal; and Maynilad Water Services Inc., (Maynilad) which supplies the metro’s west zone including parts of the cities of San Jose Del Monte and Meycauayan and the town of Obando in Bulacan.
German also said that at present, water allocation for Metro Manila remained at 41 cubic meters per second (cms).
But it is lower than the normal allocation of 46 cms, as the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) decided to reduce allocation for the metro weeks ago in anticipation of impending dry spell. Meanwhile, Cruz-Sta. Rita made assurance that planned cloud seeding operations will start this week in the hope to replenish water at the dam reservoir.
She also echoed German’s call for water conservation and water recycling in services areas of the Metropolitan Water Works and Sewerage System’s concessionaires. Last April 25, the Napocor said that they are targeting the last days of April and the fi rst week of May for the implementation of cloud seeding operations.
They said that memorandums of agreement are being prepared for approval of concerned government agencies.
