Angat Dam may hit low water level by Sunday — Pagasa hydrologist

METRO SOURCE Angat Dam in Bulacan province supplies water to households and businesses in Metro Manila and farms in Central Luzon. —CARMELA REYES-ESTROPE

MANILA, Philippines— The Angat Dam in Bulacan may hit low water level by Sunday, an official of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Friday.

“Baka sa Sunday po nasa 180 (meters) na lang po tayo, Pagasa hydrologist Edgar Dela Cruz said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer.

At present, the water level at the dam, which supplies water to Metro Manila households is at 180.73 meters— just less than a meter away from breaching  the 180-meter low water mark.

“Ang protocol po kasi dyan sa pagkakaalam ko, pag dumating ng 180, ang tatamaan po ay irrigation,” Dela Cruz said. “Kung hindi man stop, magbababa ng allocation sa irrigation.”

He said the Bustos Dam, a small irrigation dam in Bustos, Bulacan, may likely be the first to  be affected if the  Angat dam hits the 180 meters low water level..

“Kung di man mabawasan, isara po ‘yan,” the hydrologist said of the Bustos Dam.

Dela Cruz warned residents of Metro Manila consumers may experience water interruptions  should  the water level in Angat dam reaches the 170-meter low mark. /muf

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