Angat Dam to be shut down; Metro advised to store water

Metro Manila residents have been advised to begin storing water today as Angat Dam is set to be closed temporarily to allow a emergency repair of a damaged control valve of its Auxiliary Turbine No. 5 bypass.

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) said the eight-hour shutdown, which begins at 8 a.m. tomorrow, could affect customers of water concessionaires Maynilad Water Service Inc. and Manila Water Service Inc. in the east and west zones of the metropolis.

Almost 97 percent of Metro Manila’s water supply comes from Angat Dam.

Engineers of the National Power Corp., which owns and operates the dam, will inspect the damaged control valve of the Auxiliary Turbine No. 5 bypass and determine the repair that is needed.

MWSS Administrator Orlando Hondrade said that for the duration of the shutdown, Maynilad will use the stored water at Ipo Dam while Manila Water Services Inc. will source its water from La Mesa Dam.

Hondrade said that if the repair work is on schedule, the water requirements of both concessionaires and their customers will not be unduly affected.

"But it is best for the customers to store water in case the repair work is extended," Hondrade said.

Once repair work is completed, Angat Dam operations will return to normal until the time comes for the replacement of the damaged control valve.

This will, in turn, necessitate another temporary closure of the dam. – Katherine Adraneda, Jerry Botial