Malacañang said on Wednesday there’s no need to declare a state of calamity in Metro Manila amid the dwindling water supply as the situation has not reached crisis level.

“There is no anticipation of emergency right now. We are not even looking at that. The solutions are in place so we don’t have a problem on water shortage,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said on Wednesday, the same day three congressmen called on President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III to declare a state of calamity in Metro Manila.

As this developed, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone proposed that President Aquino assume as water czar to ease the water crisis, saying only he can issue directives “so forceful, urgent, and adequately-funded.”

Lacierda assured the public that the water situation in Metro Manila has not reached crisis level that would warrant a state of calamity declaration by President Aquino.

Authorities have already stepped up measures to remedy the reported low water levels, including cloud-seeding operations, without having to place Metro Manila under a state of calamity, said Lacierda.

“It only affects the areas serviced by Maynilad. Manila Water has no problem. La Mesa Dam is doing okay. If necessary, Manila Water can provide assistance to Maynilad so there’s no problem,” he added.

Compostella Valley Rep. Maria Carmen Z. Apsay, Marikina Rep. Marcelino Teodoro, and Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan called on President Aquino to declared a state of calamity to mobilize appropriate resources to address the water supply situation following the recorded all-time low water level of 157.56 meters at Angat Dam on Sunday.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson, former Maynilad president, had earlier blamed the National Power Corporation (Napocor) for releasing too much water from Angat Dam supposedly as a precautionary measure against flooding last year. Maynilad, which serves the West Zone of Metro Manila, sources its water from the dam.

But Lacierda said there was no need to push the panic button, insisting that measures are in place to improve the water situation, including the repair of leaking water pipes.

“In fact, it’s not even correct to say there’s a water shortage because there is none. What we need to do is fix Angat Dam,” Lacierda added.

Apsay, Teodoro, and Ilagan called on the government to adopt a long-term and more sustainable measure to address the water shortage.

“The efforts of Manila Water in aiding the scarcity of Maynilad are only a short-term solution. It maybe effective for some time but there is already a need for the President to declare a state of calamity to strengthen and empower the government agencies concerned,” Teodoro said.

He noted that the low water level in Angat Dam is “extremely alarming” following the ongoing rationing of water in Metro Manila.

Ray of hope
After a couple of days of intermittent rains, now comes a glint of hope for the receding level of Angat Dam.

Based on the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) data as of 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Angat Dam’s level increased by 38 centimeters bringing the reservoir’s elevation to 158.16 meters.

Heralquio Borja, assistant weather services chief of the PAGASA’s Hydrometeorology Division, noted that intermittent rains over the Angat Watershed contributed to the slight increase in the water level.

“Although rains over the watershed are minimal, we can still consider this a positive development because it continuously increased the level of Angat Dam,” Borja told the Manila Bulletin.

He said rise in the dam’s elevation has been noted two to three days ago after Angat Dam reached an all-time low level of 157.56 last Sunday.

He also noted that in the 12-hour rainfall monitoring last Tuesday until Wednesday, 14 to 15 millimeters of rainfall had been recorded.

“We have recorded increase last Monday of about seven centimeters. Last Tuesday it increased by 15 centimeters and now 38 centimeters. We can attribute this to the light rains over the watershed,” Borja said.

“This can be considered a significant increase because at the same time that the level of Angat Dam rose, water requirements for Metro Manila’s needs is still being released,” he explained.

At the time Angat Dam’s level slightly increased, the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), under the Department of Agriculture (DA), is scheduled to conduct-cloud seeding operations over the Angat Watershed this week.

The current level of Angat Dam remains way below its standard level of 180 meters.

“We hope that rainclouds over Metro Manila will be pushed by a weather system over the watershed in Bulacan to continuously contribute water to Angat Dam,” Borja said.

Meanwhile, the incoming minority bloc in the House of Representatives assured the Aquino administration that it will fully back legislative measures that would provide further legal support moves to tap Laguna Lake as additional source of potable water for Metro Manila.

Rep. Danilo Suarez (Lakas-Kampi-CMD, Quezon) made the assurance as he revealed that the province of Quezon might, in the future, impose payment from Metro Manila residents for using water from the Umiray River as source of potable water.

Lakas-Kampi-CMD lawmakers led by Reps. Elpidio Barzaga of Cavite and Janette Garin of Iloilo are also batting for the imposition of price control for bottled water. They were joined by Buhay Rep. Irwin Tieng.

Suarez, a senior member of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD and former chairman of the House Committee on Oversight, said Laguna de Bay has become the most probable option to solve the current and impending water crisis that has hit Metro Manila.

“Former President Arroyo was correct in pushing for projects aimed at tapping the lake as the next water source. We have been saying that Laguna Lake can give us at least one to two billion liters of water daily, that’s about 35 percent of the requirement of the national capital region,” Suarez said. (With report from Rio Rose Ribaya, Ben R. Rosario, and Ellalyn B. de Vera)