(Eagle News) — The water elevation at La Mesa Dam, the water source of most households in Metro Manila, rose by two meters following almost a week of heavy rains.
State weather bureau PAGASA reported that the dam’s reservoir water level reached 72.66 meters on June 15 from the recorded 70.51 meters on June 8.
Despite the significant rise, however, the said water level was still considered “a low critical level,” being below its standard operating level of 78 to 79 meters.
La Mesa Headworks official Tomas “Maxim” Ortega said reaching the standard water level in the following weeks will be difficult without typhoons entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and dumping rains over Metro Manila, adding “Sa sobrang baba niya, hindi siya aapaw.”
Earlier in May, PAGASA warned that the water supply from the La Mesa Dam had fallen to its lowest level in fifteen years, resulting in low pressure to no water supply in some barangays in Manila, Marikina, and Rodriguez, Rizal.
Nevertheless, Ortega said they expect the beginning of this year’s rainy season will signal the continuous increase in La Mesa Dam’s water level. (Phoebe Salvador with a video report by Eden Suarez Santos, Eagle News Service)
