DENR to take water conservation steps amid ‘alarming’ Angat Dam water level

Water conservation measures will be implemented to ensure enough supply amid the "alarming" decline in Angat Dam's water level, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said Monday.

“The decrease in water level in terms of its rate is quite alarming,” DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo David said in a press conference.

“Halos 0.4 meter, half a meter ang binababa ng water level natin kada araw. Therefore, kailangan na nating magkaroon ng kaunting intervention,” he added.

(The water level in Angat Dam lowers by almost 0.4 meters, half a meter every day. Therefore, we need to have a little intervention.)

Currently, the water level in Angat Dam is 188.45 meters. The minimum operation level is 180 meters.

Angat Dam in Bulacan supplies around 90% of the water needs of Metro Manila, Rizal, and portions of Cavite and Bulacan.

Due to this, the DENR will impose a “prescribed conservation action” in May. 

The water conservation measures include the regulation of water supply and pressure as well as the prohibition of using hose in watering gardens and washing cars, among others.

Due to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon, many areas in the country are experiencing water shortage, David said. The most affected areas are Ilocos, Bulacan, Palawan, and Zamboanga City. — BM, GMA Integrated News