Water pressure in Metro Manila reduced during off-peak hours

Water concessionaires in Metro Manila have started to lower the pressure of their services during off-peak hours, citing the lower-than-average level at the Angat Dam which supplies the area.

The reduction in the water pressure was implemented starting the last week of March, covering off-peak hours from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

This was approved by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), which cited the need to conserve water as the country is currently facing an El Niño.

“Hindi naman po mawawalan po ng tubig po ang ating mga customers, kundi po ay bababaan lang po ang pressure,” MWSS management department manager Patrick James Dizon said in an interview on Super Radyo DZBB which was aired in Jamie Santos' report on “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

“Sa ngayon po ano, ay hindi pa po natin ito masabi kung hanggang kailan itong pagbabawas. Kailangan po nating tipirin po ang existing na binibigay ng Angat Dam, kasi ayaw po natin na umabot po siya hanggang critical level or minimum operating level po ng ating Angat Dam,” he added.

(Customers will not lose water, but the pressure will instead be lowered. As of now we cannot say how long the reduction will last. We need to conserve the existing supply from Angat Dam, as we do not want to hit the critical level or the minimum operating level.)

Water concessionaires that supply to Metro Manila—Manila Water and Maynilad—earlier announced up to eight hours of service interruptions this week, as they undertake maintenance activities.

Data from the state weather bureau PAGASA show that the Angat Dam water level stood at 196.82 meters as of 6 a.m. on Sunday, April 7, lower than the average 212 meters.

“Mataas pa rin naman ‘yung ating level ng Angat, kung ang pagbabasehan po ang rule curve. ‘Yun po ‘yung para sa flood control natin, ‘yung sa domestic use, mataas pa po siya,” PAGASA hydrologist Sonia Serrano said in the same report.

(The water level of the Angat is still high, if this is based on the rule curve. This is for flood control, domestic use.) — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA Integrated News