Water rationing will be re-imposed in the city later in the week as the city’s water level at source approach critical level.
Water level at the diversion weir, a barometer on the state of the city’s current water supply stood at 74.10 meters as of yesterday morning.
Normal level is at 74.20 meters.
Meanwhile an international weather bulletin provided by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society indicated the El Nino weather phenomenon, which started early 2015 will linger on until the first half of this year with above average sea surface temperatures.
Furthermore, CNN bulletin has indicated the 2015 El Niño weather event — characterized by warming waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean — is already one of the three strongest ever recorded. NASA says El Niño conditions are still strengthening, and it could even surpass the intensity of the record 1997 event that wreaked worldwide weather havoc.
2015 is on track to be the hottest year on record, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration or NOAA scientists say, and El Niño conditions could last until the mid of 2016.
Eng’r Efren Salvacion indicated the city has not had any major rainfall the past few months on which the rivers and tributaries are heavily dependent on for replenishment.
Water District officials say the imposition of the water rationing program will seek to conserve dwindling water supply until the rain comes in May.
The city gets 80 percent of its water supply from surface water via the Tumaga River making it vulnerable to the elements such as the extreme hot conditions currently experienced in the city.
ZCWD also operates twenty one (21) underground production wells to augment its water supply.
Eng’r Salvacion assured the water rationing schedule for the city will be published in the city’s major dailes and aired over top radio and television stations for proper dissemination.
Meanwhile, relief is on its way as a top official of the ZCWD assured the district has initiated four major infrastructure programs to increase water production in the city.
Assistant General Manager Arnulfo Alfonso, head of the Technical Services Group or TSG disclosed these are the 50 million liters per day or MLD capacity water filtration plant in Patalon of Prime water, the pipeline laying project in the west coast of Ecosystems, the NRW (None Revenue Water) reduction project of Ayala’s Manila Water and the rehab of the city’s main lines.
These are major projects that will cost the district to about 2 billion pesos to finance and will be completed between this year and the next two years to come.
These according to AGM Alfonso will drastically increase the district’s water production capacity and will dramatically reduce water lack to manageable levels.
‘By the time these projects come on stream, we hopefully can drastically reduce our water supply deficiency to more manageable levels’ Alfonso added.
The district is also looking at building water impounding dams and build another 50 MLD filtration plant in the city’s east coast to improve potable water delivery to the people of the city.
The district has over 57 thousand active water connections. ( Ed Banos CREAS ZCWD)