The already depleted water level of Angat Dam went down to its lowest on Thursday at 169.63, which is 10 meters short of the required minimum operating level of 180 meters.
Angat Dam is the main water source of Metro Manila.
State weather bureau PAGASA said the measurement is the lowest level for the month of May as compared with records in the past 10 years.
PAGASA said the main cause of the problem is due to the effects of persistent El Niño phenomenon.
PAGASA Weather Specialist Richard Orendain recalled that in July 2010, Angat’s water level hit the lowest mark at 157.56 meters.
As this developed, National Water Resources Board Executive Director Sevillo David said they will reduce water allocation in Metro Manila to 46 cubic meters per second (cms) in June from the current 48 cms.
He added that irrigation may also suffer unless Angat Dam’s water level rise up back to its minimum operating level of 180 meters.
“Sa ngayon po baka ma delay if hindi maka recover ng maayos ang level ng dam above 180 meters, [There might be delays if the dam’s level will not recover to above 180 meters],” David said.
Like Angat, the La Mesa Dam is also experiencing the same problem, as its water level remains low and still unable to supply for Metro Manila’s consumption.
“Ang tubig sa La Mesa Dam hindi parin natin mapapakinabangan sa ngayon dahil hindi pa siya nakakarating sa lebel ng 69 (meters) and above, (Water level in La Mesa Dam cannot yet supply unless it reaches the level of 69 meters and above,)” Orendain said.
The Bureau of Soil and Water Management, meanwhile, said it is still holding cloud seeding operations in specific areas which has so far yielded positive results.
Magat Dam, meanwhile, is set to release water for irrigation on June 3, the BSWM said.