ILOILO City — Around 30,000 water consumers in this city may be placed under rotational water scheduling if a worst-case El Niño scenario strikes later this year.
Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) is bracing for a possible sharp drop in water production amid forecasts of prolonged dry conditions.
The private water distributor said preparations are already underway after the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) projected a 79-percent probability of El Niño developing between June and August 2026 and possibly lasting until early 2027.
MPIW supplies water to around 52,000 customers across Iloilo City and the municipalities of Oton, Sta. Barbara, Cabatuan, Maasin, San Miguel, Pavia, and Leganes. Of that number, about 30,000 consumers are in Iloilo City — the area expected to suffer the most severe impact because it is located at the tail-end of the company’s water distribution system originating from Sta. Barbara town.
MPIW chief operating officer Angelo David C. Berba said the company learned hard lessons from the 2024 El Niño episode, when its water production plunged to only 54.09 million liters per day (MLD) from the normal average of 73 MLD. That experience is now being used as the baseline for its current mitigation and contingency planning.
To cushion the impact of a possible supply crisis, MPIW said it has lined up several emergency measures, including the deployment of more than 20 water tankers, round-the-clock monitoring teams, leak detection and repair operations, installation of static tanks and draw-off points, and an intensified public information campaign through radio, social media, and barangay advisories.
Berba said MPIW is also prepared to coordinate again with the Iloilo City Government and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), similar to the arrangements made during the 2024 dry spell.
“Paghahandaan talaga natin ito and of course kung mayroon pang available tankers sa market from third party providers we will entertain and maganda ‘yong coordination noong 2024 with the city government through CDRRMO,”
Despite the looming threat, MPIW officials said the water supply situation has improved compared to 2024.
MPIW Operation Division head Engr. Jedd Allen Roxas said the company’s current normal daily production has increased to 80.76 MLD — around 10 MLD higher than the 72 to 73 MLD recorded in 2024 — giving the utility a larger supply buffer.
The company is also banking on the completion of several pipeline rehabilitation and expansion projects this year to reduce non-revenue water losses estimated at around 10 MLD. Among the projects targeted for completion by late 2026 are pipeline works in La Paz, Molo, Jaro, Mandurriao, City Proper, and San Miguel, Iloilo.
Together, these projects are projected to recover another 10 MLD of water supply, MPIW said.
“Rest assured we will provide water pag-worst case scenario, scheduling lang po ang effect, puedeng mayroong kang tubig ngayong araw, next day wala naman to give way sa ibang customer. Rest assured mayroon po kayong tubig hanggang end of the year,” Berba said.
As of May 19, MPIW reported that dam water levels remained within the normal operating range at 94.89 meters, while daily production stood at 80.76 MLD./PN
