The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) is preparing those served by Maynilad due to a possible nine-hour service interruption in the coming weeks due to the continued decrease in the water level in Angat Dam.
In a text message this Friday, Patrick James Dizon, head of the MWSS Angat/Ipo Operations Management Division, said that the water level in the dam is expected to reach the minimum operating level of 180 meters on Saturday.
“However, we are projecting that there will be no interruption tomorrow, except for the regular maintenance activities,” according to Dizon.
In data from PAGASA at 6 a.m. this Friday, July 7, it is stated that the water level at Angat Dam is at 180.45 meters, which is lower than the 180.99-meter level recorded this Thursday, July 6.
This Thursday, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) said that the water allocation in the MWSS will be further reduced to 48 cubic meters per second (cms) from 50 cms when the water level in Angat Dam drops to 180 meters.
“For Maynilad, expected interruption will be on Wednesday (July 12), the earliest, but if there are rains it the start of interruption could be by Friday (July 14),” said Dizon.
According to Dizon, around 591,000 households will be affected, less than the 1.5 million households affected in April 2023.
“The number of hours of interruption – 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. (nine hours)… that is less than the 14 to 16 hours interruption in April 2023,” added the MWSS official.
9-hour water interruption in Maynilad customers possible
The affected areas will be notified on July 10, Monday, through Maynilad’s social media accounts.
Maynilad, on the other hand, announced that they would hold a press briefing on Monday for the details of the water supply reduction.
Dizon announced that the reduced water allocation would not affect Manila Water.
With the commencement of the El Nio phenomena, the country would experience a severe dry spell, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned in an advisory last week.
“Recent PAGASA climate monitoring and analyses indicate that the unusual warming of sea surface temperatures along the equatorial Pacific that was established in March 2023 has further developed into a weak El Niño, which show signs of strengthening in the coming months,” PAGASA said.
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