Water firms ramp up efforts ahead of El Niño

By Sheldeen Joy Talavera, Reporter

WATER PROVIDERS in Metro Manila and nearby areas are stepping up preparations to secure supply after the weather bureau warned of a possible El Niño developing by midyear.

Patrick James B. Dizon, department manager at MWSS Corporate Office, said the agency has directed the two concessionaires, Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and Manila Water Co., Inc., to continue implementing approved augmentation measures.

These include reopening of deepwells, optimizing treatment plant operations, reducing water losses, and deploying water tankers and static tanks, among others, to ensure they can be swiftly reactivated should water allocations from Angat Dam be reduced.

“Since the end quarter of last year, we have been continuously coordinating, not just to our concessionaires but also, to the stakeholders of Angat Dam,” Mr. Dizon told BusinessWorld.

Last week, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) raised its warning status to El Niño Alert from El Niño Watch, following the high likelihood of its development in the coming months.

PAGASA said that there is a 79% chance of an El Niño event emerging between July and August, with the weather pattern likely persisting until early 2027.

El Niño is a climate phenomenon that raises the likelihood of drier-than-normal conditions in some parts of the country, potentially triggering droughts and dry spells, while also bringing fewer but possibly stronger tropical cyclones.

The 2023-2024 El Niño was “one of the five strongest on record,” according to the World Meteorological Organization.

“As we expect that the El Niño will come this summer, the MWSS requested the NWRB (National Water Revenue Bureau) to increase the year-end elevation of Angat Dam,” Mr. Dizon said.

Angat Dam is the main source of water for Metro Manila, accounting for about 90% of the capital’s potable water.

Manila Water, which serves over 7.8 million customers in the east zone concession area, said it is pursuing strategies to reduce its reliance on Angat Dam by developing and continuously operating alternative water sources.

These include treatment facilities drawing from Laguna Lake such as the Cardona Water Treatment Plant and the East Bay Water Treatment Plant, as well as the Wawa-Calawis Water Supply System in Rizal Province.

“The recent full stewardship of the Upper Wawa Dam further strengthens supply reliability and builds long-term climate resilience for the East Zone,” Manila Water said in a statement to BusinessWorld.

The Upper Wawa Dam is a major infrastructure development designed to strengthen water security, which has the capacity to deliver up to 710 million liters of water per day.

“As climate risks intensify, Manila Water remains committed to investing in sustainable, diversified, and climate-resilient water sources, while working closely with national agencies to manage limited resources prudently,” it said.

Maynilad, which provides water and wastewater services to 10.5 million people in the west zone concession, said it is implementing a range of system optimization and supply augmentation measures to help ensure reliable water service during periods of higher demand.

These include pressure management across its distribution network, maximizing the output of treatment facilities, and continuing non-revenue water reduction efforts to recover additional water for customers.

“Preparing for the dry season is part of our regular operational planning, and we continuously refine these measures to improve system resilience,” Maynilad told BusinessWorld.

Among the key infrastructure projects under development to improve system resilience include of a 200-million-liter (ML) raw water reservoir at the La Mesa Compound and a 40-ML treated water reservoir in Valenzuela, which are designed to boost buffer storage to help stabilize supply and support more consistent water service.

“Our priority is to ensure that our customers continue to receive reliable water service, especially during periods of high demand,” Maynilad said in a separate statement. “We continuously implement and enhance our operational and infrastructure measures to strengthen the resilience of our system.”

While securing water supply is crucial, both Manila Water and Maynilad said that practicing responsible and efficient water use remains one of the most effective ways to help ensure adequate supply.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Maynilad’s majority shareholder, is one of three Philippine subsidiaries of First Pacific Co. Ltd., alongside Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.