San Jose del Monte (SJDM) City in Bulacan has stepped up its emergency efforts as reduced allocations from the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) cut the local water district’s daily supply from 70 million liters to 45 million liters. The reduction comes as Angat Dam’s water level hits a historic low of 152.19 meters—well below the 180-meter minimum operating level and the lowest recorded since 2010. According to MWSS deputy administrator Jose Alfredo Escoto, levels could fall further to 149 meters by the weekend without rain, which would force a shift to a lower-capacity release system. Nighttime rotational pressure management may also be implemented across Metro Manila and Bulacan if the dam continues to drop.
SJDM mayor Florida Robes has brought together key agencies including the LWUA, NWRB, and NIA to draw up both immediate and long-term measures, noting that supply cuts add extra pressure to a distribution system still undergoing rehabilitation. Local operator Metro Pacific Bulacan Water is carrying out a 45-day action plan that includes fixing more pipe leaks—206 have been repaired so far—reactivating deep wells, building communal shallow wells, setting up treatment facilities and water tanks, managing delivery schedules, and deploying water trucks to affected areas. Upgrades to water treatment to address quality issues have also been finished. National regulators have pledged to fast-track approvals for leak repairs and well reactivation requests.
Mayor Robes assured residents that updates on water availability, service interruptions and project progress will be shared regularly, and said the city will work closely with national partners to make the most of available resources amid dry conditions driven by El Niño.
