Greenpeace sets up Angat Dam water watch

MANILA, Philippines - Environment watchdog Greenpeace set up yesterday an eight-day “Water Watch” camp at the Angat reservoir, Metro Manila’s main water source, to gather information on the effects of decreasing water levels in the dam and nearby areas.

Angat Dam, which supplies 97 percent of Manila’s water needs, is in peril due to an ongoing drought. Recent reports predict that the reservoir’s water level may fall to a record 176 meters, the lowest since 2004.

The camp, managed by the Greenpeace Water Patrol, together with the National Power Corp.-Angat Watershed Area Team (Napocor-AWAT), will gather data on precipitation, evaporation rates, temperature and water levels at key points in the Angat basin.

Greenpeace geologist Dr. Carlos Primo David is also setting up instruments for the camp to function as a base site for information-gathering throughout the week. The data will be posted on the website www.saangalingtubigmo.com. All the instruments in the camp will be powered by a solar photovoltaic system. In its second week, the camp will travel to nearby provinces to document the effects of the water shortage on key areas.

“We are calling on the candidates to commit to implementing water protection measures, and climate hazard mapping during their first 100 days in office,” said Mark Dia, Greenpeace Southeast Asia deputy campaign director.

Napocor corporate communications officer Dennis Gana said the water level dropped to 180.2 meters yesterday and the allocation to Metro Manila was reduced to 36 cubic meters per second, Bulacan farmers to 8 centimeters and will likely be totally cut by Wednesday.