1.2 Million Without Water: Manila Times

Sections of metropolitan Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, suffer from a severe water shortage with service disruptions anticipated until rain arrives. The rainy season does not begin for another three months, and authorities are rationing water. “The water agency said all of its customers would have no water from six to 20 hours every day,” reports the Manila Times. “Although the supply crunch was aggravated by the El Niño phenomenon, Manila Water said it got worse when customers, whose water supply remained normal, started storing water. This caused reservoir volume in several areas to decline below minimum, preventing water supply to reach elevated communities.” Demand for water has increased despite GDP growth in recent years hovering at less than 2 percent. The country is Asia's seventh most populous country with 105 million people. The fertility rate, at 2.92, is in gradual decline. The country’s water footprint per capita is about 2,800 liters per day. – YaleGlobal