Water concessionaires serving Metro Manila are strengthening their tap water reserves ahead of the expected El Niño season, after low levels at Angat Dam prompted a reduction in water allocation for the capital.
Maynilad Water Services assures customers that its supply will remain reliable, citing recent steps to build up buffering capacity.
The company's chief operating officer said the system now holds more buffers than in the 2019 El Niño event, adding supplemental sources, lower water losses, expanded storage and improved network management to cope with tighter raw‑water conditions.
Maynilad, which provides water and wastewater services to 10.5 million people in Metro Manila’s western zone, has expanded treatment capacity and diversified its sources of supply.
Its Laguna de Bay facilities now produce 450 million liters per day, while overall capacity has risen through new plants, deep wells and a program that safely converts treated wastewater into drinking water.
Storage improvements and reduced non‑revenue water have recovered significant volumes, with reservoir capacity increasing and additional projects under way.
The chief operating officer noted that the severity and duration of El Niño will depend on weather patterns and raw‑water availability, and the company will continue implementing measures to protect service reliability.
Manila Water similarly guarantees its 7.8 million customers in the eastern zone a 24‑hour water supply, even if Angat Dam’s allocation is cut further.
Infrastructure investments have lowered dependence on Angat Dam; the company can now draw up to 710 million liters per day from Upper Wawa Dam and Tayabasan Weir, which serve as buffers when raw‑water supply is restricted.
The Calawis Water Supply System Phase 1 adds another potential 80 million liters per day to the network.
Additional water is supplied from the Cardona Water Treatment Plant and the East Bay Phase 1 Treatment Plant, both sourcing water from Laguna de Bay.
Corporate communications officials emphasized that these infrastructure projects enable continuous 24‑hour service despite lower Angat allocations, and that further water‑supply projects are already in the pipeline.
Regulators reduced the water allocation to 48 cubic meters per second, down from the usual 52 cms, after the dam level fell below the critical threshold of 160 meters.
Early Wednesday measurements recorded the Angat Dam level at 159.90 meters, a slight decline from 159.95 meters the previous day.
