Release of dam water blamed for shortage

MANILA, Philippines – Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson yesterday blamed administrators of the Angat dam in Bulacan for the water crisis in the concession area of Maynilad Water in the western sector of Metro Manila.

Speaking to reporters, Singson said three months’ supply of water was released from Angat dam last year in anticipation of typhoons without considering the El Niño phenomenon.

“All I am saying is, we should review the water protocol and I think people should also be accountable,” he said.

“I think the water sector has to be addressed. The bottom line is, there are so many agencies involved. There will be a policy decision here soon on the water sector.”

Singson, former president and chief executive officer of Maynilad, said the National Power Corp. (Napocor) also released another three months’ water supply from Angat dam last December in anticipation of rains.

Napocor might have been worried that an overflow of water would affect nearby communities and they would be blamed for the damage, he added.

Singson said the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) is the regulator of the use of water from Angat.

Napocor oversees the Angat dam for its Angat River Hydroelectric Power Plant, he added.

Singson said before tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng,” the water level at Angat Dam was very high and “way above the upper rule curve and almost at the spilling level.”

“Think about it, from 210 meters, we’re now at 157 meters – that’s very far,” he said.

“In fact, I recall seeing a letter coming from Bulacan Vice Gov. Alvarado, who is now the governor, saying or appealing to NWRB not to release water because their rice fields are still flooded, they did not need that water.

“They were hoping that that water would have been released during the early months of 2010, during the planting season. And we have explained this in the past that the water level in Angat, if only it was managed properly, we would not have any of these difficulties or at least not as severe as what we’re encountering at this time,” Singson said

Singson said Maynilad and Manila Water had written the NWRB and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to ask that the water release from Angat dam be stopped.

“Because the drop in the level was just too fast and Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) was already advising us that there was El Niño coming,” he said.

Singson said it would now be up to the NWRB to determine who was responsible for the mismanagement of Angat dam.

“The NWRB, which is under the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), are aware of the problem,” he said.

“So I guess it is really up to NWRB to review the water protocol. If you remember, there’s supposed to be a water protocol in the use of Angat dam which gives priority for domestic use.

“So there will always be a conflict between domestic use and use for electricity. Now, obviously during the period that I mentioned – during the month of December – priority was given to electricity to the detriment of domestic use for the dry months.”

Water level drops

Water elevation in dams supplying potable water to Metro Manila remained at alert level.

However, water elevation at the Angat dam in Bulacan rose yesterday morning.

Records obtained by The STAR showed that water elevation at the Ipo dam in Norzagaray town dropped to 96.86 meters above sea level (masl).

At La Mesa dam in Novaliches, Quezon City, water elevation was at 78.01 masl.

However, spilling level for the Ipo dam was set at 101 masl, and 80.15 masl for La Mesa dam.

At the Angat dam, also in Norzagaray town, water elevation climbed to 157.79 masl yesterday, compared to 157.65 masl recorded on Monday.

The current water elevation at Angat is 59.21 meters below its spilling level of 217 meters, and 22.21 meters below the critical 180 meters.

However, the MWSS website states that the current water elevation at the dam is “normal.”

Environmentalists lamented the Aquino administration’s lack of understanding of the situation of the country’s forests and their connection with availability of water.

Martin Francisco of Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society Inc. said President Aquino appeared dependent on information from his people.

It’s possible the information given to Mr. Aquino is not correct, he added.

Francisco described Malacañang’s statement that there is no water crisis as a play of words.

“Is that his description of water rationing in Metro Manila and total cut of water allocation for irrigation of Bulacan farmers since April?” he asked.

MWSS to resort to cloud seeding

The MWSS is set to facilitate a P3.1-million cloud-seeding operation to ease the water situation of Metro Manila residentse.

Macra Cruz, MWSS officer-in-charge, said they are engaged in talks with the Bureau of Soils and Water Management on a cloud-seeding operation to begin today.

MWSS is coordinating with water concessionaires Maynilad Water and Manila Water on how to go about the plan, she added.

Maynilad will employ the “cross-boundary water supply method” to benefit residents in areas on the border of the east and west zones.

Maynilad officials identified 300 families from Quirino and Roosevelt areas in Quezon City as the initial beneficiaries.

Engineer George Estioko, water resources development officer of the NWRB, said before this measure could benefit affected residents, pipelines would have to be opened and repaired.

“In this manner, the water intended for Quezon City residents benefiting from this ‘cross-border’ water sharing could be allocated for other barangays or cities also in dire need of water,” he said.

Maynilad is set to tap fire trucks to assist in water rationing, he added.

Estioko said no further reduction will be made in Maynilad’s water allocation from Angat dam.

“We will maintain the 32 cubic meters per second allocation for Maynilad,” he said.

“That is equivalent to 2,784 million liters of water daily.”

Maynilad’s raw water allocation from Angat had been steadily reduced beginning February this year.

Since July 10, its allocation has been cut by 30 percent, which is equivalent to about 720 million liters of water per day.

Herbert Consunji, Maynilad Water chief operating officer, said around 46 percent of their customer base have experienced reduced water pressure and/or shortened water supply schedules.

“Of those affected, around 10 percent may be classified as severely affected, having 0 to 6 hours of water,” he said.

A total of 117 barangays in the west zone are severely affected by the water shortage problem, he added.

40 water tankers sent to Metro

Forty water tankers will roam Metro Manila to supply water to waterless barangays under the concession of Maynilad Water.

“This early, we’re sounding the alarm for people to conserve water,” Secretary Singson said.

Singson said 10 water tanks are from Manila Water while the 30 will come from Maynilad.

They have already coordinated with the Department of the Interior and Local Government in disseminating information on the water crisis in Maynilad’s sector, he added.

Singson said Maynilad is getting water directly from Angat dam, while Manila Water has an impounding facility in La Mesa dam.

“So from Angat, it goes to the two water concessionaires – the split is 60 percent goes to Maynilad and 40 percent goes to Manila Water,” he said.

“However, before that split, the 60 percent goes straight to the treatment plant of Maynilad, while the 40 percent of Manila Water goes to La Mesa dam.”

“That’s why we have a more severe situation of lack of supply in the concession area of Maynilad.”

Singson said about 117 barangays in the Maynilad concession area or 19 percent will now have water of less than six hours.

“Some even have zero or no water, affecting about 32 barangays,” he said.

Golez: ‘Emerging crisis’ in Metro

President Aquino should consider the worsening water shortage in Metro Manila as an “emerging crisis,” according to a lawmaker.

Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez said Mr. Aquino must set up a crisis management body comprised of key agencies to prevent the water shortage from becoming a full-blown crisis.

“Prudence dictates that the Palace look at this as a possible or an emerging crisis,” he said.

“This would immediately trigger some abatement measures and start other response systems,” he said.

Half of the nation’s capital is already having a “water crisis,” according to Secretary Singson. -Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) with Dino Balabo, Rhodina Villanueva, Delon Porcalla, Paolo Romero, Evelyn Macairan