The Upper Wawa Dam, which sources water from the Boso-Boso River, a key water facility supporting Manila Water’s supply resilience. —Photo from Manila Water
MANILA, Philippines — As the country faces another El Niño episode in 2026, East Zone concessionaire Manila Water underscores its significantly strengthened capability to deliver reliable 24/7 water service across its customers, highlighting the meaningful progress made since previous periods of water stress in 2010, 2015, and 2019.
El Niño has historically brought below-normal rainfall and prolonged dry conditions across the Philippines, placing immense pressure on Metro Manila’s water supply system, which for decades depended almost entirely on the Angat Dam for more than 90 percent of its needs.
During the 2010 El Niño, Angat Dam water levels dropped to critical lows, even reaching around 157.56 meters, one of the lowest levels on record. This forced significant supply reductions across Metro Manila, with water allocations cut by as much as 30 percent, affecting millions of residents and leading to widespread service interruptions and reliance on water tankers.
Article continues after this advertisement
