Maynilad: Service interruption, low pressure due to high demand at Bagbag Reservoir

Water concessionaire Maynilad explained that several Metro Manila and Cavite areas experienced water service interruptions or low pressure on Saturday due to high water demand at the Bagbag Reservoir.

According to Mai Bermudez’s “24 Oras Weekend” report, among the areas that were affected were parts of Caloocan, Manila, Malabon, Makati, Quezon City, Parañaque City, and Pasay City.

The affected Cavite areas were Bacoor, Imus, Novoleta, Rosario, and Kawit.

The service interruption started at 10 a.m. and would resume by 10 p.m. on Saturday.

“The water level of our main reservoir dropped faster than anticipated following stronger withdrawal, likely due to the summer heat as more water is consumed,” Maynilad said.

“We issued the emergency advisory to avert a longer service interruption if the reservoir is allowed to become fully depleted. Mobile water tankers were deployed to augment supplies meantime,” the company added.

Following the end of La Niña or increased rainfall due to lower-than-normal air pressure over the western Pacific, the Philippines is now bracing for the possible El Niño phenomenon, which PAGASA expects to start in June.

“Below average na rainfall condition ang ating inaasahan so mainit iyong panahon tapos kaakibat nito iyong mga pag-ulan baka mas uminit pa iyong panahon dahil wala pong weather system na magpapaulan sa’tin,” PAGASA weather specialist Dan Villamil said.

(We expect below average rainfall conditions, so the weather will be hot. Maybe the weather will get even hotter because there is no weather system that will give us rain.)

Currently, the water level in Angat, Ipo, and La Mesa Dams are slightly below normal.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) said the water level in Angat Dam would not reach critical level during summer.

“Lumabas po sa simulation namin noong March 12, aabot sa 184 meters by end of July. Ang minimum operating level natin is 180 so mataas pa po tayo ng four meters kung tuloy tuloy po iyong trend ng curve na na-simulte para sa supply para sa Angat reservoir,” Engineer Jose Dorado Jr., MWSS deputy administrator for engineering and technical operations group, said.

(From our simulation on March 12, it will reach 184 meters by the end of July. Our minimum operating level is 180, so we are still four meters higher if the trend of the curve simulated for the supply for the Angat reservoir continues.) — Richa Noriega/DVM, GMA Integrated News