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Philippine capital faces water supply shortage due to ‘Super El Niño’
The situation will improve if more rains fall, but there are no weather systems currently over the country, the Philippine weather agency said
- PUBLISHED: Thu 30 Jul 2026, 4:51 PM
It has been raining hard in some parts of Philippines but not as much where it is most needed. Angat Dam, located east of the country’s capital Metro Manila, had seen its lowest recorded water level ever last weekend, dropping to 150.55 metres.
Angat Dam supplies approximately up to 98 per cent of the potable water used for both residential and commercial needs in a metropolis of 14 million residents and a daytime population of 16 million.
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The dam started supplying water to the metropolis in 1968. Its normal water lever is 210 metres while its minimum operating level is 180 metres. Since the onset of this year’s “Super El Niño,” a cyclical weather phenomenon that brings extended drought conditions to Western Pacific countries, the dam had been operating at its critical mark of 160 metres this July.
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Water allocation reduction
The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) of the Philippines has announced the reduction of raw water allocation for the metropolis from 48 cubic metres per second (CMS) to 46 CMS due to receding water levels brought about by lack of rainfall in Angat Lake’s tributaries.
As early as May, NWRB said it was eyeing cloud-seeding operations over the watershed to replenish the dam’s water stock. NWRB executive director Sevillo David Jr. said his agency is in discussions with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on the viability of cloud-seeding operations.
But while intermittent thunderstorms had been causing flooding in parts of Metro Manila and the rest of the country, however, PAGASA said the Philippines is currently suffering from a “monsoon holiday.” The annual monsoons rains are relied upon to replenish the country’s water sources.
This week, rainclouds crossed over the Southern Luzon region of the country, bringing some rains over the Angat Watershed and raising its water level by 3.4 metres before dissipating as of Friday. The water level rise, however, is not enough to avert the impending water supply crisis, NWRB said.
Water conservation urged
The NWRB said the government must lead water conservation practices to prolong the use of Angat Dam’s water while rainfall remains inconsistent.
The government announced that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority plans to create an El Niño Action Plan while the Department of the Interior and Local Government shall propose counterpart task forces in local government units. “These initiatives aim to ensure that water management remains a top priority at both the national and community levels,” NWRB executive director Sevillo David Jr. said.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Friday appealed to residents, businesses and local officials to join government efforts to conserve water as forecasts point to an extended dry season. “Early action now will help protect our supply for drinking, health care and essential services,” environment secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said.
Water concessionaires Manila Water and Maynilad, meanwhile, announced that while water supply remains uninterrupted, households in elevated areas may experience lower water pressure in some hours of the day.
The situation will improve if more rains fall, but there are no weather systems currently over the country, the Philippine weather agency said.