NORZAGARAY, Bulacan—Water elevation at the Angat Dam dropped below the critical 180 meters yesterday leading to the total cut of allocation for irrigation while assuring sufficient water supply for Metro Manila.
This came as Greenpeace environment advocates began their eight day exploration at the dam that supplies 97 percent of potable water requirement for the metropolis’ 14-million residents. This is to call the attention of presidential candidates on issues concerning water conservation.
Mendel Garcia, head of the Angat Watershed Area Team (Awat) told Punto Central Luzon that water elevation at the dam dropped to 179.94 meters above sea level at 9 a.m. yesterday. This is lower than the 180.19 meters recorded 24-hours earlier.
Garcia said that water elevation at the dam drops by an average of one centimeter every hour as it continue to supply 36 cubic meters per second (CMS) to Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System’s (MWSS) concessionaires.
MWSS distributes potable water to residents of Metro Manila and the provinces of Rizal and Cavite.
Even residents of Bulacan, especially those who are living in the cities of Meycauayan and San Jose Del Monte, and the coastal town of Obando are depending on potable water supplied by Maynilad Water Services Inc., (MWSI).
Dennis Gana, spokesperson of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) that manages that dam, said that they will totally cut allocation for irrigation of Bulacan and Pampanga farms starting today.
He said that since April 8, the Angat Dam has been supplying eight cms to local farmers through the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
Water supplied to local farmers in the first two weeks of April was meant to sustain standing crops. However, many farmers complained that as early as mid-March, water allocation for them was not enough leaving their rice crops drying and fruitless.
Gana said cutting allocation for irrigation was also meant to maintain enough potable water supply for Metro Manila.
This is aside from the fact that when water elevation at the dam drop to critical 180 meters, they can no longer let water flow through their water outlet tunnel.
“This is because the inlet of the water outlet tunnel is above the surface of water. Besides, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) has directed us to cut water allocation for irrigation when water elevation dropped to the said level,” Gana said
He added that while Angat Dam serves as a flood control for Bulacan, its main purpose is to provide potable water for Metro Manila.
Based on the Philippine Water Code, supplying potable water is the priority of the Angat Dam, while allocation for irrigation and power generation comes in second and third respectively.
As this developed, members of the Greenpeace Water Patrol has establish camps within the 63,000 hectares Angat watershed for their eight day Water Watch Project.
The said project aims to call the attention of the people and presidential candidates to be aware of the need to conserve water.
Mark Dia, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Deputy campaigns director, said that the water project is timely as it came at the time when the country is experiencing extreme weather events.
He said that in late September, typhoon Ondoy dumped heavy rains that spawned flooding in Metro Manila and Bulacan.
But months later, the country is faced with possible water shortage with the onset of summer which is impacted by the El Nino phenomenon.
Dia said the country is highly vulnerable to effects of climate change and least prepared to face its consequences.
He also warned that if global average temperature climbed by 2 degrees centigrade, the country will experience more extreme weather events like strong typhoons and the current dry spell.
This came as Greenpeace environment advocates began their eight day exploration at the dam that supplies 97 percent of potable water requirement for the metropolis’ 14-million residents. This is to call the attention of presidential candidates on issues concerning water conservation.
Mendel Garcia, head of the Angat Watershed Area Team (Awat) told Punto Central Luzon that water elevation at the dam dropped to 179.94 meters above sea level at 9 a.m. yesterday. This is lower than the 180.19 meters recorded 24-hours earlier.
Garcia said that water elevation at the dam drops by an average of one centimeter every hour as it continue to supply 36 cubic meters per second (CMS) to Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System’s (MWSS) concessionaires.
MWSS distributes potable water to residents of Metro Manila and the provinces of Rizal and Cavite.
Even residents of Bulacan, especially those who are living in the cities of Meycauayan and San Jose Del Monte, and the coastal town of Obando are depending on potable water supplied by Maynilad Water Services Inc., (MWSI).
Dennis Gana, spokesperson of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) that manages that dam, said that they will totally cut allocation for irrigation of Bulacan and Pampanga farms starting today.
He said that since April 8, the Angat Dam has been supplying eight cms to local farmers through the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
Water supplied to local farmers in the first two weeks of April was meant to sustain standing crops. However, many farmers complained that as early as mid-March, water allocation for them was not enough leaving their rice crops drying and fruitless.
Gana said cutting allocation for irrigation was also meant to maintain enough potable water supply for Metro Manila.
This is aside from the fact that when water elevation at the dam drop to critical 180 meters, they can no longer let water flow through their water outlet tunnel.
“This is because the inlet of the water outlet tunnel is above the surface of water. Besides, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) has directed us to cut water allocation for irrigation when water elevation dropped to the said level,” Gana said
He added that while Angat Dam serves as a flood control for Bulacan, its main purpose is to provide potable water for Metro Manila.
Based on the Philippine Water Code, supplying potable water is the priority of the Angat Dam, while allocation for irrigation and power generation comes in second and third respectively.
As this developed, members of the Greenpeace Water Patrol has establish camps within the 63,000 hectares Angat watershed for their eight day Water Watch Project.
The said project aims to call the attention of the people and presidential candidates to be aware of the need to conserve water.
Mark Dia, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Deputy campaigns director, said that the water project is timely as it came at the time when the country is experiencing extreme weather events.
He said that in late September, typhoon Ondoy dumped heavy rains that spawned flooding in Metro Manila and Bulacan.
But months later, the country is faced with possible water shortage with the onset of summer which is impacted by the El Nino phenomenon.
Dia said the country is highly vulnerable to effects of climate change and least prepared to face its consequences.
He also warned that if global average temperature climbed by 2 degrees centigrade, the country will experience more extreme weather events like strong typhoons and the current dry spell.
