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Gov’t approves standby water for Bulacan, Pampanga farmers

Pia Ranada

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Gov’t approves standby water for Bulacan, Pampanga farmers
The National Water Resources Board has also decided to further reduce the water allocation for Metro Manila in October

MANILA, Philippines – The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) has approved a standby emergency water allocation for Bulacan and Pampanga farmers for the month of October.

NWRB Executive Director Sevillo David Jr made the announcement during a press conference on Thursday, October 1.

The agency has also decided to further reduce the water allocation for Metro Manila in October. 

From 38 cubic meters per second (cm/s) in September, the water allocation for the megacity will only be 36 cm/s in October, effective Thursday, he said.

“We are now in a strong El Niño, starting this October until April next year. We reduced the water allocation to preserve water supply from Angat Dam,” he told reporters.

Rice farmers in Bulacan and Pampanga bear the brunt of the drought because their crops depend on a stable water supply for irrigation. 

For this purpose, the NWRB has agreed to set aside 10 cm/s to be released for the irrigation of 14,000 hectares of cropland “if the necessity arises,” said David. 

‘We will make do’

The standby allocation was requested by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). NIA engineer Romeo Lopez said the agency originally requested for 15 cm/s but said “we will make do with what we have.”

The standby allocation can be released between October 16 to 31. The NIA will be the one to alert NWRB if the water needs to be released. 

Lopez said the agency has field officers who will make the regular rounds in the affected farmlands.

Low water levels in irrigation canals and dry, cracking soil in the rice fields will be taken as indicators of the need to release the standby water allocation.

“We will send a request to the NWRB, then their approval will likely be given 3 or 4 days after,” said Lopez. 

But more will be done to help Bulacan and Pampanga farmers cope with the drought.

Aside from the Department of Agriculture’s El Niño Task Force, the NWRB said it would give financial assistance for cloud seeding to be conducted by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management.

Lopez also said there are local water sources like rivers which farmers may be able to tap. There was also still the possibility of rains over the farmlands.

Standby water allocation for farmers has only been approved for October, so far. David said they would have to observe weather conditions and the state of affairs in farmlands before giving approval for standby water supply in the next months.

Metro Manila homes affected

The reduced water allocation for October will have an effect on domestic water supply in Metro Manila, said Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) senior deputy administrator Nathaniel Santos.

“The customers will feel the effect in the form of lower water pressure and continued disrupted water supply,” said Santos. 

But as to how many hours more per day residents will experience these effects, he was unable to say. (READ: 9 everyday chores you can do using less water)

Starting September, some homes serviced by Maynilad Water have been experiencing 7 to 12 hours without water per day. Some Manila Water-serviced homes meanwhile have been experiencing 7 hours of lower water pressure.

Because of the ongoing drought caused by the El Niño, water levels in Angat Dam, which supplies most of the water for Metro Manila, have been below normal. 

The dam’s water level was 189.91 meters as of 8 am, Thursday – more than 20 meters below its normal high water levels of 210 meters or 212 meters. – Rappler.com

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Pia Ranada

Pia Ranada is Rappler’s Community Lead, in charge of linking our journalism with communities for impact.