The Department of Science and Technology Secretary, Dr. Renato Solidum, urged the public to conserve water as a step in mitigating the adverse effects of El Niño, which is expected to persist until the second quarter of the year.

“First and foremost for the public, their role is really on the conservation side,” Solidum told DAILY TRIBUNE.

“For example, saving water, which is very normal, is something we always repeat. When brushing your teeth, do not continuously pour water from the tap. It's better if you use a glass. The same goes for cleaning the car; I hope instead of using a hose that keeps the water flowing, [use] just a dipper and a rag,” he continued.

Solidum said that along with wise consumption of water, the public should also practice conserving energy.

“Of course, saving electricity should be part of it. [Conserving] water and electricity always go together.”

The majority of the Luzon dams in the past months have exhibited a continued decline in their reservoir water level (RWL).

On Monday, the RWL of Angat Dam, which provides potable water to the majority of Metro Manila areas and nearby provinces, exhibited a -0.17 drop from Sunday’s 203.25 RWL to its current 203.08 RWL.

PAGASA Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section chief Analiza Solis, however, said that RWL reduction in dams during the warm and dry seasons is normal, adding that the dam’s current RWL is 8.03 meters above its normal rule curve of 195.05 meters.

Moreover, according to Solidum, as a step to further ensure water security amid the dry season, the local government units should fix pipes and other local water utilities.

“Because when the pressure of the pipes weakens, the leakage of the sewage or the sewage systems is not good, the dirty water enters the pipes when the pressure weakens, so they should watch out for that and repair the leaks immediately. The DoH [Department of Health] is keeping an eye on the possibility of water-borne diseases,” said the DoST chief.

“The whole of government is doing many things as part of the instruction of our President [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.], and we still need to make sure that we prepare for El Niño because until at least April is its peak, May and June it's still here,” he added.