El Niño-caused water shortage could peak in June

About a fifth of Metro Manila and two adjacent provinces may experience a significant lack of water by midyear due to El Niño, a state agency yesterday said. Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) projections set a peak of 339,172 households -- about 2.5 million individuals -- in 687 barangays feeling the weather pattern’s impact on water supplies by June. The figures comprise 20% of the total area served by east and west zone concessionaires Manila Water Co., Inc. and Maynilad Water Services, Inc. The affected areas, MWSS Administrator Diosdado M. Allado told BusinessWorld, could experience "significantly reduced water pressure" for periods of "less than 12 hours." He was not more specific, but identified the vulnerable areas in Metro Manila as including north Caloocan, south Manila, Tondo, Novaliches, Fairview, and Pasay. None of the barangays have been affected so far, said Mr. Allado, who pointed to leak repair programs by Manila Water and Maynilad, and the utilization of the La Mesa and Ipo watersheds. All 687, he said, would be affected "only if we do nothing." But with water allocations from Angat Dam having been cut by 13% this month, the National Water Resources Board could raise this to 24% by June to just 3,000 million liters per day (MLD), he said. The normal supply of 4,000 MLD is split at 2,400 MLD for Maynilad and 1,600 MLD for Manila Water. Isaias R. Bongar, MWSS deputy administrator, said the water level at Angat was at 193 meters yesterday, below the 198 needed to ensure normal supply. Projections for succeeding months were not offered but Mr. Allado said the level would not plunge to the 158.98 meters hit during the 1997-1998 El Niño. Mr. Allado also claimed that Metro Manila was now better equipped to deal with a dry spell: "We now have better infrastructure... before, we only had 40% of reservoirs in Metro Manila activated, now we have almost 90%." Sixty-five standby deep-wells can also be reactivated to add 10 to 15 MLD, he said. Maynilad president Rogelio L. Singson, for his part, said the situation remained "tolerable." "Right now we are trying to reduce the impact by only reducing water during the evening," he said. A new water treatment in Laguna is scheduled to come onstream in May, Mr. Singson said, initially providing an additional 50 MLD to residents in Muntinlupa. Capacity will be increased to 100 MLD by September, he added. Manila Water spokesman Jeric T. Sevilla, meanwhile, said the firm was "on top of the situation." "There are mitigation strategies we are putting in place, like stepping up [our] water recovery program through leak repairs so the network is now more efficient," Mr. Sevilla said in a telephone interview. Ayala-led Manila Water services the east zone which comprises the Metro Manila cities of Makati, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Marikina, most parts of Quezon City, some parts of Manila, and the municipalities of San Juan, Taguig and Pateros. The firm also services cities and municipalities in the Rizal province east of Metro Manila. West zone concessionaire Maynilad, meanwhile, handles Caloocan, Las Piñas, Malabon, Manila, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasay, Parañaque, Valenzuela, parts of Quezon City and a part of Makati in Metro Manila, plus Cavite City and the municipalities of Rosario, Imus, Noveleta, Bacoor and Kawit in the province of Cavite. -- J. B. F. Santos, BusinessWorld