Maynilad still uncertain when Metro water supply will normalize

 JULIE S. ALIPALA / INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

A Maynilad representative on Monday said that the water utility company cannot give a definite date as to when the water supply in Metro Manila will normalize—a day after it reduced its water production due to increased sediment content levels of raw water from Angat Dam.

Maynilad Media Relations Officer Grace Laxa said that should monsoon rains continue until Wednesday or Thursday, they cannot resume normal water production.

While they have seen an improvement in the raw water supply from the Ipo Dam, Laxa said that it is not enough to bring the water production to normal.

“As of 5 a.m., mayroong nakitang improvement sa raw water sa Ipo Dam, pero hindi pa sapat para maibalik sa normal ang production. Kung ang pag-ulan ay magpapatuloy pa, hindi natin masisiguro na babalik tayo sa normal. Mahirap pong isaalang-alang ang safety ng ating tubig kung hindi maganda ang nakukuha nating klase,” Laxa said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer.

(As of 5 a.m., we have seen an improvement in raw water at Ipo Dam but it is not enough to bring the the water production to normal. If the rains persist, we cannot be assured that the water production will be back to normal. It’s hard to compromise our water safety if the quality is not good.)

Laxa apologized to the 850,000 customers who were affected by the reduction of water supply. She said that once the weather and the raw water quality in Ipo Dam improve, Maynilad will return to normal water production.

On Sunday, Maynilad cut its water supply in Metro Manila due to the high turbidity level of raw water coming from the Ipo Dam.

Turbidity level refers to the amount of sediment contained in the dam’s water as soil erosion from the mountain side increased due to the heavy rains from enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat).

State weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services said on Monday that monsoon rains will be experienced over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas and Mindoro. AJH/With reports from Dona Dominguez-Cargullo, Radyo Inquirer/RAM/rga