MANILA, Philippines – Metro Manila residents are unlikely to experience water shortages in the coming summer months, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) assured on Tuesday.

Despite the expected surge in water demand during the dry season, MWSS Engineering and Technical Operations Group Acting Deputy Administrator Patrick James Dizon said in a state media report that there is sufficient water supply.

“For this year, we projected na hindi po magkakaroon ng water shortage kasi mataas nga po iyong naging (there will be no water shortage because we had a high) yearend elevation,” Dizon said in a Zoom interview, referring to the water level at Angat Dam.

He said that there is no cause for concern, saying, “We are confident na hindi magkakaroon ng kakulangan sa tubig (that there will be no water supply shortage) during summer times.”

Dizon also noted that Angat Dam’s water level is not expected to drop to the critical 180-meter mark in the coming months.

Any scheduled water interruptions, he clarified, will only be due to routine maintenance work, valve operations, or leak repairs.

“Hindi natin nakikita na magkakaroon ng water interruptions na ang reason ay iyong kakulangan ng tubig sa mga dam. Sufficient pa naman po iyong mga tubig mula sa ating mga (We are not seeing water interruptions due to shortage of water in dams. There’s still sufficient water in our) dams,” he said.

Angat Dam, which supplies 90 percent of Metro Manila’s water needs, recorded a water level of 212 meters at the end of December 2024.

“Actually in the middle of January 2025, nag-spill pa nga tayo at inabot natin iyong highest elevation na (we even spilled and reached the highest elevation of) so far 215 meters,” Dizon said.

As of now, the reservoir stands at 213.26 meters, surpassing the normal 200-meter elevation. With the average rate of decrease, MWSS estimates the water level will reach 201 meters by April’s end and 194 meters by May—both significantly higher than the 188 meters recorded in May 2024.

Dizon explained that the normal water level during summer typically ranges from 190 to 200 meters. He attributed the stable water supply to proper resource management and favorable rainfall conditions that have replenished watersheds.

“Sa ngayon naman po nag-i-implement pa rin tayo ng mga additional water sources like iyong water treatment plants sa Laguna lake at iyong mga additional modular water treatment plant sa (For now, we are still implementing additional water sources like water treatment plants in Laguna Lake and the additional modular water treatment plants in) Cavite and Marikina,” he added.

Currently, 9 percent of Metro Manila’s water supply comes from Laguna Lake, while deep wells and modular treatment plants in Cavite and Marikina contribute the remaining 1 percent.

Although the supply remains sufficient, Dizon still urged the public to practice water conservation to help mitigate the effects of climate change.