Three months have passed since we started observing water interruptions in a number of areas around Metro Manila and it seems like our worries won’t be stopping anytime soon, especially now that dam levels are continuing to drop.
Two major water suppliers, Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc., have announced that service interruptions will continue this week.
READ: Prepare for more doomsday scenarios unless we find long-term solutions to the water crisis
Manila Water will be implementing rotational supply disruptions which may result in low pressure to no water at all. In a statement, it said that the low water levels of Angat Dam and Ipo Dam might affect the production of their treatment plants.
“Dahil sa mabilis na pagbaba ng antas ng tubig sa Angat Dam at Ipo Dam, kinakailangang buksan ang mababang daluyan ng tubig o ‘low level outlet‘ ng Angat Dam upang makapgdagdag ng supply,” it wrote. “Kaya lang, ang pagbubukas nito ay maaaring maging sanhi ng mababang kalidad ng tubig. […] Maaaring kailanganing magbawas ng produksyon na makaaapekto sa supply.”
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In its latest update, Manila Water showed that the Angat Dam Level is on a minimum operating level with 164.87 meters above sea level (masl), which is below the 180 masl it should be maintaining. While Ipo Dam Level is meeting its maintaining 101 masl by a few points, while La Mesa Dam Level has already dropped gravely, meeting its 69 masl critical level.
Meanwhile, Maynilad customers are told to expect “pockets of service interruptions” as it conducts maintenance work in its water treatment plant in Quezon City. “[We] will reinstall a rapid mixer in La Mesa Treatment Plant 1 that we pulled out for repairs in April. Said rapid mixer is an essential tool in the facility’s treatment process.”
Areas affected include parts of Quezon City, Caloocan, Malabon, Pasay, Navotas, Makati, Manila, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Bacoor, Cavite City, Imus, Noveleta and Rosario in Cavite.
“We encourage our affected customers to store water at least three days before the interruption to prevent simultaneous heavy withdrawals of water from our pipelines, which can reduce water pressure and cause some customers to have no water earlier than scheduled,” the water service provider added. Schedules of water interruptions in each area are posted on their Facebook page.
Header image courtesy of Marianne Bermudez / Inquirer.net
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Writer: AMIERIELLE ANNE BULAN
