La Mesa Dam breaches critical mark, hits 21-year low

The water level at La Mesa Dam, a major source of water for Metro Manila, dipped to 68.74 meters as of 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 14, 2019, below the critical level of 69 meters and the lowest in 12 years. INQUIRER FILE / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Water level at La Mesa Dam has gone below the critical level and hit the lowest mark in 21 years, data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) showed.

As of 6 a.m. Thursday, the water level at the dam, which supplies water to Metro Manila, was at 68.74 meters, below the critical level of 69 meters.

That level is 11.41 meters below the normal level of 80.15 meters, based on the Dam Water Level Update table of the Pagasa.

“Sa ngayong ala-sais ng umaga ay nasa 68.74 meters na ito. Bumaba siya mula kahapon ng ala-sais nang 0.05 meters,” Pagasa hydrologist Sonia Serrano told Radyo INQUIRER Thursday.

Data from Pagasa’s Dam Water Level Update showed that as of 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, Mar. 13, La Mesa Dam’s water level was at 68.79 meters.

“Ibig sabihin niyan, ito na nga ang historical na pinakamababang antas ng tubig sa La Mesa Dam. May kakulangan na din talaga. Nagkaroon ng malaking kakulangan sa La Mesa Dam,” Serrano explained.

The last record low of La Mesa Dam’s water level was in 1998 with 68.75 meters, Pagasa hydrologist Richard Orendain earlier told INQUIRER.net.

But Serrano assured that all concerned agencies are already making a way to prevent La Mesa Dam’s water level from further declining.

“Ginagawan naman po ng paraan ng mga concessionaires saka ng concerned agency po ang mga paraan para po hindi na masyado pang bumaba itong ating La Mesa Dam,” she said.

Last Sunday, the dam’s water level already hit its lowest level in 12 years at 68.9 meters.

READ: La Mesa Dam level, already at lowest in 12 years, continues to drop

Meanwhile, the Manila Water issued on Wednesday an updated schedule of water service interruption in certain areas of Metro Manila and Rizal.

The Manila Water said its customers will experience water service cutoff from six to 21 hours starting March 14 and 15. /cbb

READ: Manila Water issues service cutoff schedule in Metro Manila, Rizal