MANILA, Philippines — A number of establishments engaged in the water business have been complaining of low water supply that has been affecting their sales.
Water concessionaires and the weather bureau have announced that several areas in Metro Manila and nearby provinces may experience low to no water supply due to El Niño.
At the same time, latest monitoring of La Mesa Dam in Quezon City, which is one of the main sources of water supply in the metropolis, showed that the dam’s water is now at critical level.
Water refilling station H2O Avenue, which depends on Manila Water for its water supply, said that they have had no water at all since Friday.
“Even if our loyal customers keep coming back, we just repeatedly tell them there is no water yet,” store manager Ralph Santos said.
The water refilling station sells water at P30 per container.
He received an advisory from Manila Water about the water interruption schedules and rotation but “it is just frustrating that our business has been affected.”
“I follow up with Manila Water every day hoping that we’ll have water. They said that unless there’ll be rains, we will have to bear this kind of situation,” Santos said.
Santos said they just opened their business last November and that they have not really earned much so far.
Meanwhile, Manila Water Communications manager Dittie Galang said that they are carefully studying the situation.
“We are targeting that there will be improvement in the water supply situation in the coming days. It might not return to normal but at least, there will be certain hours in a day that there will be water supply. This is somehow OK than no water at all,” she said.
Galang added they understand that there will be impact to water businesses but that they are doing their best to address the problem in water supply.
Cathy Sedizanan, cashier at the R and E Water Refilling Station, said for the past few days water pressure is low.
“This will somehow affect and lessen water supply to our customers. We already received advisory from Manila Water as to the schedule of water interruption. We are aware that eventually, this will have an effect on our sales,” Sedizanan said. The water refilling station, located in Project 4 in Quezon City, sells water at P35 per five-gallon container.
Sedizanan added, “It’s a good thing we still have something to deliver to our customers but eventually, we fear that supply will eventually be less, especially when the summer season sets in.”