Beginning April 16, Manila Water (MW) allocation will be reduced in anticipation of lower reservoir levels due to the El Niño dry spell.

Raymond Maymay, MW corporate communications manager, told the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday that the National Water Resources Board will be cutting its current 50 cubic meters per second allocation but was not specific as to the extent of the reduction.

He explained that the reduced allocation may not translate into rotational water service interruptions within its franchise area because the company is keen on implementing “pressure regulation,” allowing it to evenly distribute the limited supply

The strategy involves making the flow of water weaker, thereby ensuring that MW customers can still enjoy round-the-clock water service throughout the dry months despite forecasts that supply will drop to less-than-optimal levels, Maymay said.

As of Tuesday morning, the water level at Angat Dam stood at 199.77 meters, still safely above its 180 meter minimum operating level, Maymay reported.

Aside from serving Metro Manila’s East Zone, MW also supplies running water to a large portion of Rizal province, including Antipolo City.

The concessionaire supplies water to Rizal via the Cardona Treatment Plant, which can treat up to 110 million liters of water per day (MLD) drawn from Laguna Lake.

Maymay said the company’s Cardona facility is currently producing potable water at an average of 104 MLD, almost at full capacity.

Additionally, the MW’s Calawis Water Treatment Plant in this city produces up to 80 MLD, drawn from the Tayabasan River.

MW serves over 413,000 connections in Rizal, providing water to an estimated 2.8 million individuals.

“To ensure its Rizal customers have 24/7 water service, especially during Holy Week, the company has implemented system checks for its water augmentation projects in the area. We also request our customers to check for household leaks and turn off their water valves or meters for prolonged out-of-town trips,” Maymay said.

Meanwhile, the water firm assured its customers in Metro Manila of uninterrupted water service throughout the Holy Week, when water consumption is expected to spike.

“Anticipating the rise in water demand, the East Zone Concessionaire ramped up its system checks in its water supply augmentation projects prior to the announcement of summer by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration last week. These auxiliary water sources help ease our dependency on Angat Dam, which provides more than 90 percent of our water needs,” MW said in a statement Monday. (PNA)