CITY OF MALOLOS—Officials forecast a possible resurgence of shortage of water these coming months as water level in Angat dam which supply 97 % of water requirement of Metro Manila and Bulacan and Pampanga farmers continue to drop.
Rodolfo German, general manager of Angat River Hydro Electric Power Plant (Arhepp) which operates and manages the Angat dam in the mountainous Hilltop area in Barangay San Lorenzo in Norzagaray town said Monday the absence of rains in December brought down to 203.23 meters above sea level (masl) the current elevation of the dam.
Liza Mungcal, provincial disaster management office head of Bulacan said the last recorded high level of water was at more than 204.00 meters last Dec. 8.
Angat dam has a normal elevation of 210-214 masl from dry to rainy season.
German told NEWS CORE by phone, the current elevation is critical because it is lower than the level last year during the first week of 2010 where shortage of water was experienced by Metro Manila residents and the farmers from Bulacan and Pampanga.
“Critical ito, mas mababa pa ito kaysa last year na ganitong pagpasok ng January ay nag-204 mahigit ang level noon, ngayon 203 lang. Dapat napuno ang dam ng mga ulan bago matapos ang taon dahil sa ngayong mga darating na buwan wala tayong aasahang ulan dahil papunta tayo sa tag-araw,” he said.
However, German said, id there will be rains to come before May, the water shortage direction may be averted.
German sees a continuous drop in the water level if there will be no rains to come.
He said because there were no more rains experienced during the last weeks of 2010, Angat dam which had a hard time pulling up its critical low level to its current more than 200 masl level may go back decreasing its stock of water.
“Walang ulan nitong Disyembre, posibleng magtuloy tuloy na ang pagbaba ng level ng tubig natin dito sa Angat dam,
During the third quarter months last year, Angat dam continue to reach its far below 180.00 masl critical prompting a cut in the supply of water to Bulacan and Pampanga farmers to prioritize supplying the need of Metro Manila.
In July last year, Angat dam set a record in history of reaching down its lowest elevation when it reached 157-158 masl.
German calls on the Manila Water Company Inc. and the Maynilad Water Company, the two water concessionaires for Metro Manila which gets their supply from Angat dam to make a fast water conservation and preservation information campaign drive to the metro residents.
“Ngayon pa lang dapat mag-info drive na sila, ang mga Metro Manila users dapat magitpid sa pag gamit para hindi maranasan ang water shortage,” he said.
During the water shortage last year, Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado through a provincial board resolution placed the 17 towns in Bulacan dependent of water needs for farming use under state of calamity for the purchase of shallow tube wells and other augmenting facilities to make water available for the farmers.
However, the rains and typhoons during the last quarter of 2010 which have suddenly pulled jup the water elevation in Angat dam have destroyed the crops of the farmers.
Alvarado called on the national government to look for alternative water source for Metro Manila so that the more than 25,000 Bulacan and Pampanga farmers dependent of water need to Angat dam should not always be sacrificed to favor Metro Manila.
Alvarado also want the leaks of major pipes of the water concessionaires be completely repaired to maximize the use of water coming from Bulacan dam.