Metro Manila residents hit by severe water shortage

Manila - Residents of metropolitan Manila in the Philippines have been hit by severe shortage of water due to the receding water level at Angat Dam, the main source of water for around 10 million residents of the cities and municipalities comprising metro Manila.

The current water shortage was brought about by limited rainfall during the summer months. The start of rainy season last month did not bring enough rainfall to fill up the dams serving metro Manila for agricultural and household use. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson, who was the head of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System prior to his appointment at DPWH, blamed the National Power Corporation (NPC) for releasing substantial volume of water in the later part of last year. "Before October (2009), there was a high level of water at 210 meters in Angat dam” said Singson.. “But after that, NPC released in the period of November and December (2009) almost three month’s worth of water for domestic use." Metro Manila is being serviced by two water concessionaires, the Manila Water Company and Maynilad Water Services. The Secretary explained that Maynilad gets its water directly from Angat dam, while Manila Water gets its water from the treatment plant in La Mesa dam. In the meantime, authorities said there will be cloud-seeding operations over Angat Dam to induce rainfall in the area. 'Basyang', the first typhoon that hit the country this year did not bring in substantial rain to raise the water level of the nearby dams. “The level in Angat dam is now 157.6 meters, the lowest, lower than the 1998 El Niño,” said Singson. The DPWH secretary said that the water level in Angat Dam, even in a “no water scenario,” can last only for the next sixty days.