MWSS renews call to hike Angat Dam allocation

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) is again seeking to increase its raw water allocation from Angat Dam to ensure continuous supply for Metro Manila consumers.

The agency asked the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) to increase its raw water allocation from the current 50 cubic meters per second to 52 cms to refill the La Mesa Dam, MWSS Field Operations Management Department manager Jose Alfredo Escoto Jr. said at a forum yesterday.

“We have the request for that since before the Holy Week,” Escoto said.

Starting this month, the water allocation was supposed to decrease to 48 CMS, but the NWRB decided to extend the 50 CMS for the MWSS until April 15.

Currently, the La Mesa Dam’s level is at 76.87 meters, which is still above the critical level of 74.5 meters.

“It is important to maintain this level so that supply to Manila Water will not be affected. La Mesa is utilized as a buffer. And because water level is declining, our action is to have it refilled with supply from Angat,” Escoto said in a mix of Filipino and English.

MWSS Site Operations Management Department officer-in-charge Delfin Sespene said the request would be presented at a meeting with NWRB officials today.

“There’s a board meeting with the NWRB and we requested to present our request during the meeting,” Sespene said. “We are hopeful our request will be granted even for just a certain period to maintain the levels of Ipo and La Mesa dams.”

In case the NWRB will not approve its request, the MWSS said it still has supply augmentation measures in place.

These measures include non-revenue water management of Maynilad Water Services Inc. to recover some losses.

The MWSS also enjoined Maynilad to operate its Cavite Portable Water Treatment Plant in Imus within the month, as well as its 10-MLD Parañaque New Water Treatment Plant.

It was also urged to recover backwash water system in La Mesa Water Treatment Plants 1 and 2 and activate its existing nine MLD deep wells.

“We will also fast-track the repair of aqueduct leaks in the raw water conveyance system,” Sespene said.