MWSS assures public plans in place to address water supply problem

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) on Wednesday gave assurance that there are short term and long term solutions in place to solve Metro Manila's water supply demand.

MWSS administrator Reynaldo Velasco said in a press briefing that there will be enough and sufficient water to supply the needs of the 20 million residents in Metro Manila and nearby provinces in the next 10 to 15 years.

Velasco also admitted that they were currently on a "catch-up mode" when it comes to water supply as no other major source of water supply has been built since the Angat Dam was constructed in1967.

Velasco said the MWSS has taken the following measures:

• MWSS has requested the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) to allow Manila Water to activate deep wells that can supply 100 million liters daily to its consumers.
• MWSS requested Maynilad to allocate 50 mld and share water through cross-border flow to "ease the problem and augment the water supply needs tiof Manila Water." Velasco said this inlcudes the deployment of water trucks to affected areas that will service or benefit 50,000 households in Quezon City, Paranaque and Taguig.
• MWSS directed Manila Water to activate and operationalize its Cardona, Rizal treatment plant in order to provide an additional 100 mld to its consumers.
• MWSS plans to look into the proposal to construct a new treatment plant to preserve La Mesa Dam as a water reserve area in the future.
• To address the current shortage experienced by Manila Water, the MWSS said it has caused the allocation of at least 200 Million Liters per Day (MLD) to be provided by the East Zone concessionaire.

According to the MWSS chief,  it was only in the past two years under the current administration that "serious efforts" have been put in place to push for major flagship projects.

Velasco was referring to the "600 MLD Kaliwa Dam, the 500 MLD from Wawa Dam, the 800 MLD to be sourced from unutilized water from Angat-Norzagaray, the 350 MLD from Bayabas Dam as well as 500 MLD from Laguna Lake." — BAP, GMA News