Maynilad customers brace for 9-hour water interruption as Angat level dip — MWSS

Customers of Maynilad should brace for a possible nine-hour service interruption in the coming week as the water level at Angat Dam is seen to fall below its minimum operating level of 180 meters, triggering a reduction in water allocation for the concessionaires of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

In a text message on Friday, MWSS Angat/Ipo Operations Management Division head Patrick James Dizon said that “the elevation of Angat will reach 180 meters tomorrow.”

“However, we are projecting that there will be no interruption tomorrow, except for the regular maintenance activities,” Dizon said.

Data from PAGASA as of 6 a.m. Friday, July 7, showed the water level at Angat Dam is currently at 180.45 meters, lower than the 180.99-meter level as of July 6.

The National Water Resources Board (NWRB), on Thursday, said it will further reduce the water allocation for MWSS to 48 cubic meters per second (cms) from 50 cms should the water level at Angat Dam fall below 180 meters. 

“For Maynilad, expected interruption will be on Wednesday (July 12), the earliest, but if there are rains, the start of interruption could be by Friday (14July),” Dizon said.

The MWSS official said the affected households will be 591,000 “that is lesser from the 1.5 million affected households in April 2023.”

“The number of hours of interruption - 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. (nine hours)… that is lesser than the 14 to 16 hours interruption in April 2023,” Dizon said.

He added that the notice of interruption for the details of affected areas will be issued by Maynilad through its social media accounts on Monday, July 10.

Maynilad, for its part, said it will be having a press briefing on Monday to disclose specific details about the impact of the lower allocation.

“Manila Water will not be affected by the reduction of allocation,” Dizon said.

The Angat Dam supplies over 90% of Metro Manila’s potable water requirements. — LA, GMA Integrated News