Cheyenne Suarez

Local water districts want out of PrimeWater deal due to poor service says senator

A resident uses water from a faucet for laundry in Manila on January 11, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Several local water districts (LWD) already want to get out of their joint venture agreement (JVA) with water utility company PrimeWater.During Wednesday’s hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Services, Chairperson Senator Raffy Tulfo said his office conducted a survey among LWDs and 70 out of 75 responded. Of the 70 who participated, 61 LWDs said they are not satisfied with the service of PrimeWater.Tulfo said three LWDs have already issued a notice of termination, 24 have issued a notice of pre-termination, and 25 intend to initiate pre-termination.“By 2025, over 6,000 homes were receiving less than five hours of water a day,” Tulfo said. “Hindi lang mga water district ang nagrereklamo. After our hearing, even subdivisions where PrimeWater is the water provider began reaching out to my office.”The lawmaker also pointed out that some LWDs do not have a sewage treatment facility, that PrimeWater had unauthorized increase in tariffs, and that the company does not adhere to rules in performance bonds despite repeated claims from LWDs.“From 2023 to 2025, performance bond claims have been filed left and right with the Insurance Commission – pero ang resulta pare-pareho: terminated, denied, or delayed. Not a single water district has received a successful payout,” Tulfo said.Some of the solutions Tulfo proposed included the termination of the JVA and claiming the performance bond.<div>REFUND </div>The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) said it will review whether a refund is possible for all customers of private water companies together with the National Water Resources Board (NWRB).According to Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros, “Sana sooner than later ire-review ng LWUA at NWRB yung posibilidad ng refund sa mga consumer ng water district kapag nalaman nilang nagbayad pala ang mga consumer ng mas mataas kaysa sa dapat.”LWUA Administrator Jose Moises Salonga said, “We’d like to review that and yes, also we’d like to add that LWUA and NWRB are working on a joint memorandum circular for example this season, if the service level required of a water district including of its partner is not met for more than a month, hindi kailangan magbayad at hindi puwedeng putulan.”Salonga asked for three months to study the possible refund.

Three local water districts have already issued a notice of termination, 24 have issued a notice of pre-termination, and 25 intend to initiate pre-termination due to PrimeWater's poor service.

Three local water districts have already issued a notice of termination, 24 have issued a notice of pre-termination, and 25 intend to initiate pre-termination due to PrimeWater's poor service.