NWRB extends higher Angat allocations for water firms

MANILA, Philippines — The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) has decided to maintain the raw water allocation from Angat Dam until end-June, effectively giving reprieve to customers of Maynilad Water Services Inc. in Metro Manila and nearby provinces whose water interruptions were scheduled to begin today.

In a text message, NWRB executive director Sevillo David yesterday confirmed that the 52 cubic meters per second (CMS) raw water allocation from Angat Dam was extended until June 30 following the request of Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

Originally, the NWRB only approved the 52 CMS from June 1 to 15, and would be reduced to 50 CMS from today until June 30.

In another text message, MWSS division manager Patrick Dizon welcomed the NWRB approval as this would help prevent the implementation of rotating service interruptions in the areas covered by Maynilad.

“With the same commitment that we promised to NWRB when the 52 CMS was first approved in April 16 that there will be no interruption in the areas supplied by Angat Dam,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“We have presented to NWRB the impact of the non-extension of the 52 CMS allocation, which is water interruption on 632,000 water service connections,” Dizon said.

The NWRB had approved in mid-April the increase in water allocation from Angat Dam to 52 CMS dedicated to Maynilad.

This allowed Maynilad to lift its water service interruptions, which lasted up to 19 hours in most of its covered areas, except in the southern portion of its service area dependent on the Putatan output.

But earlier this month, the MWSS said consumers may experience interruptions during nighttime if the Angat allocation would not be maintained – even with “mitigating measures” being put in place.

Of the mitigating measures, the most that would boost water supply to prevent supply interruptions is intensifying water recovery through Maynilad’s non-revenue water (NRW) program.

Mitigating measures also include reactivating deep wells, improvement of operation in Maynilad’s Putatan water treatment plants, and the expected operation of the 50-MLD Poblacion treatment plant.

As of 6 a.m. yesterday, the water level at Angat Dam was 187.20 meters, slightly lower than the 187.42 meter level on Wednesday.

Angat Dam supplies more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water needs and provides for the irrigation needs of 25,000 hectares of farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.