With El Niño exhaling threats on the Philippines, there appears good reason to smile with the water level at Angat Dam, which supplies more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water needs, rising a bit.
The water level at Angat Dam, on the southeastern part of Central Luzon, originating on the slopes of the Sierra Madre Mountains, has increased to 179.06 meters on Sunday.
But the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said while the dam’s water level had slightly increased due to rains brought by the southwest monsoon, it remained below its minimum operating level of 180 meters.
The Angat Dam, which energizes a hydro-electirc power plant, also provides for the irrigation needs of 25,000 hectares of farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.
PAGASA however said the water level in Angat Dam may still fall.
With this possibility, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Water Resources Management Office (DENR-WRMO) issued Bulletin 1 or its water conservation guidelines for government agencies following Malacañang’s Memorandum Circular 22, which requires WRMO to track other departments’ progress in water conservation by analyzing their monthly water bills.
While El Niño—projected by PAGASA from June to first quarter of 2024—does not directly cause water scarcity, the reduced rainfall it brings can influence decreased water supply and droughts.
Only last month, Senator Loren Legarda pointed out in a statement that “we are facing the alarming truth that our water resources are already depleting at a disturbing rate.’’
There is a need for everyone to conserve water and act swiftly to avoid a potentially devastating water crisis that would impact our daily lives, food production, and the environment.
No less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. raised an indictment with his belief the government has not been examining the water crisis in the country.
“We do not look at it, just find other ways and put up with the idea that once in a while we’ll have to pull out our buckets and fill our bathtubs with water because there’s not going to be water for the next 24 hours,” the President said.
According to the President, the country’s problem with water has an adverse effect on the food supply, citing the importance of irrigation in the agriculture sector.
“And so when they say water is life, it’s not just a cliché, it’s a truism. And it is something that we must always keep in mind especially now,” he said.
The President has signed an executive order that will create the Office of Water management, which aims to manage the country’s water resources and respond to environmental challenges.
In the meanwhile, we join officials in asking citizens to conserve water, but local government units must as well assure clear and constant communication with water suppliers to manage demand.