Emergency powers will not solve Metro water-supply shortage, says MWSS’s Velasco

By Jonathan L. Mayuga - June 25, 2019

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/06/25/emergency-powers-will-not-solve-metro-water-supply-shortage-says-mwsss-velasco/

Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco said giving the President, or the MWSS, emergency powers will not help address the current water-supply shortage problem that currently besets Metro Manila residents.

At a news conference jointly held with National Water Resources Board (NWRB) Executive Director Sevillo D. David Jr., Velasco said without rain that will boost the volume of water at the Angat Dam, no amount of emergency powers will help.

“Even with emergency powers, without rain, there will still be supply shortage,” Velasco, a retired police general, said.

The MWSS chief said that, if ever, emergency powers will be needed to fast-track the procurement of equipment for future water-supply projects.

“[Assuming that’s the] case, the emergency power is for the future,” he said.

Velasco cited the need to fast- track the development of new water source like the Centennial New Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project.

“It takes five years to build a dam. In the case of Kaliwa, it took us 52 years. And yet there is still opposition,” he said.

Velasco said the procurement of equipment is a “slow process” under the current procurement law, a reason President Duterte wants it set aside. He said the government’s hand is tied when it comes to procurement without emergency powers.

David said the NWRB is currently studying various scenarios before deciding on changing the current water-supply allocation for Metro Manila.

“Right now, we are looking at what is still available. What is our scenario, our rainfall projections in a couple of days or weeks, and the operational capacity of the dam, including the low-level outlet,” he said.

David said, for now, until the end of the month, the current water-supply allocation for Metro Manila will remain at 36 cubic meters per second. The reduced water allocation has compelled the MWSS’s two private water concessionaires —Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Co. Inc.—to implement rotational water service interruptions to distribute the water it receives from Angat.

Manila Water’s current supply gap is 170 MLD.

David underscored the need to manage whatever is left of the water at Angat until such time that rainfall is experienced at the Angat watershed to augment supply.

For now, the MWSS is appealing to Metro Manila residents to harvest rainwater and use it for nonessential uses, like washing cars, flushing toilets or watering plants.

Meanwhile, Velasco said he had already asked the MWSS and Manila Water to strictly follow their own water service interruption schedules, while urging consumers to conserve just enough water for their day-to-day needs so as not to further deplete the water reserve at Angat.

As for business establishments that continue to “waste” water like carwash and golf courses, Velasco said they had already requested the concerned local government units which have the power to issue executive orders or ordinances to look into the situation in their respective localities and come up with ways to conserve water.

He maintained that there’s a need to develop new water source to address the perennial water- supply shortage.

“Angat is already crying. It cannot support the water requirement of Metro Manila, we have to get outside of Angat Dam,” Velasco said.