MWSS: No water shortage in Metro Manila for dry season

FILE: Angat Dam, in Norzagaray, Bulacan, Philippines. (Photo By Nikbert16/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0)

By Stephanie Sevillano, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) on Tuesday said Metro Manila is not expected to experience water shortage in the upcoming summer months.

MWSS Engineering and Technical Operations Group Acting Deputy Administrator Patrick James Dizon made the assurance despite the expected rise in water demand as the country approaches the dry season, with sweltering weather conditions being considered.

“For this year, we projected na hindi po magkakaroon ng water shortage kasi mataas nga po iyong naging (there will be no water shortage because we had a high) yearend elevation,” Dizon said in a Zoom interview, referring to the water elevation in Angat dam.

“We are confident na hindi magkakaroon ng kakulangan sa tubig (that there will be no water supply shortage) during summer times,” he added.

He also said it is unlikely for the water level in Angat dam to hit a “critical” level of 180 meters for the summer months.

In terms of implementing water interruption, Dizon said the reason will only be limited to regular plant maintenance, valve activities, and leak repair.

“Hindi natin nakikita na magkakaroon ng water interruptions na ang reason ay iyong kakulangan ng tubig sa mga dam. Sufficient pa naman po iyong mga tubig mula sa ating mga (We are not seeing water interruptions due to shortage of water in dams. There’s still sufficient water in our) dams,” he said.

The Angat dam, which supplies 90 percent of Metro Manila’s demand, ended December 2024 with a 212-meter water elevation.

“Actually in the middle of January 2025, nag-spill pa nga tayo at inabot natin iyong highest elevation na (we even spilled and reached the highest elevation of) so far 215 meters,” Dizon said.

To date, the Angat dam’s water level is at 213.26 meters, higher than 200 meters normal elevation.

With the average decrease of elevation in the reservoir, the MWSS projects to have 201 meters by the end of April and 194 meters by end of May, much higher than the 188 meters water level recorded in May 2024.

The normal elevation during summer is around 190 meters to 200 meters, Dizon said.

Dizon said proper preparations have helped ensure sufficiency in water reservoirs aside from the rains’ positive effects to the watersheds.

“Sa ngayon naman po nag-i-implement pa rin tayo ng mga additional water sources like iyong water treatment plants sa Laguna lake at iyong mga additional modular water treatment plant sa (For now, we are still implementing additional water sources like water treatment plants in Laguna lake and the additional modular water treatment plants in) Cavite and Marikina,” he added.

To date, 9 percent of Metro Manila’s demand is being supplied by Laguna Lake; while deep wells and modular treatment plants in Cavite and Marikina cover the remaining 1 percent.

Dizon still reminded the public to conserve water to help mitigate the effects of climate change.