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Residents queue for water at Barangay 101 in Manila on January 11, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Water Utility

Raine Musñgi

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — A growing water crisis affecting an estimated 250,000 residents has intensified a high-stakes legal and political battle between the City Government of San Jose del Monte, the local water district, and PrimeWater, with city officials now alleging that only a fraction of the infrastructure promised under a multi-billion-peso investment commitment was actually built.Speaking on ANC&#x27;s Headstart, San Jose del Monte City Administrator Rizaldy Mendoza said a city-led audit found a significant gap between PrimeWater&#x27;s pledged investments and the infrastructure currently serving one of Bulacan&#x27;s fastest-growing cities.&quot;Dapat mayroong P3.1 billion na dapat na infrastructure na ginawa dito sa ating lungsod. Pero upon our audit, parang nasa P740 million lang yung nailagay nila.&quot; (&quot;There should have been P3.1 billion in infrastructure built here in our city. But upon our audit, it seems like they only invested around P740 million.&quot;The allegation comes amid years of complaints from residents over chronic water shortages, weak water pressure, intermittent supply, and reports of dirty or foul-smelling water.According to Mendoza, the problem has persisted since 2021.&quot;Ang aming mga mamamayan ay maghihintay sa madaling araw, gigising ng ala-una, one o&#x27;clock in the morning, and they will wait if their faucet will bring water to their houses...Pangkaraniwan, pagka tumutulo ang tubig nila sa madaling araw, pag hindi madumi, may amoy, mabaho, hindi nila magamit.&quot;(&quot;Our residents would wake at dawn, at one o&#x27;clock in the morning, and they will wait if their faucet to bring water to their houses.&quot; &quot;Usually, when their water leaks in the early morning, if it&#x27;s not dirty, has a smell, stinks, they can&#x27;t use it.&quot;)San Jose del Monte is now home to around 850,000 residents, and city officials estimate that nearly three out of every ten residents are directly affected by the water crisis.&quot;Right now, we have 850,000 people. Around 27 percent or some 250,000 residents are affected by this water crisis.&quot;The city government says the impact extends beyond households. Businesses, investors, and commercial establishments have reportedly suffered operational disruptions because of unreliable water service.&quot;The commercial establishments and our investors are complaining. Others have stopped their business because of the problem.&quot;&quot;Imagine a laundry shop that needs water every day. They don&#x27;t have water,&quot; he said.To cope with the shortages, the city has spent hundreds of millions of pesos on emergency water distribution operations.&quot;Since 2021, we&#x27;ve been providing water and rationing water. We&#x27;re spending around P350 million,&quot; he noted.Mendoza said the city currently operates 22 water trucks dedicated to water rationing, while an additional 15 water tankers have been deployed through interim arrangements.&quot;We have 22 trucks dedicated for water rationing,&quot; he said.At the center of the dispute are allegations that critical infrastructure upgrades promised under the joint venture agreement were either delayed or never completed.According to Mendoza, PrimeWater was expected to expand and modernize the city&#x27;s water system as population growth accelerated.&quot;Lumaki ang ating population, dumami ang tao dito sa lungsod, dapat i-upgrade mo yung mga tubo. Yung maliliit na tubo dati dapat palakihin mo. Yung pressure dapat dagdagan mo.&quot;(&quot;Our population has grown, the number of people in this city has increased, you must upgrade the pipes. You must enlarge the small pipes that used to be. You must increase the pressure.&quot;)However, city inspections allegedly uncovered extensive operational deficiencies.&quot;Napag-alaman namin out of the 37 facilities na ito, there are only 10 operational pumping stations and facilities,&quot; he said.(&quot;We found out that out of these 37 facilities, there are only 10 operational pumping stations and facilities.&quot;)One facility, Mendoza claimed, had reportedly been shut down for four months before city inspectors discovered it.The city also raised concerns about the condition of water storage facilities.&quot;Upon our inspection and audit, imagine niyo, butas po. Dapat may lid yung tanke niya. Butas yung kanyang ibabaw.&quot; (&quot;Upon our inspection and audit, imagine, there&#x27;s a hole. His tank should have a lid. There&#x27;s a hole on the top.&quot;)He warned that damaged reservoirs could expose water supplies to contamination.&quot;Pwedeng pasukan ng hayop yan, pwedeng pasukan ng mga daga or frogs,&quot; he stressed.Mendoza said accountability ultimately rests with PrimeWater, which he said was responsible for service delivery and infrastructure obligations under the joint venture agreement.The San Jose del Monte Water District terminated its joint venture agreement with PrimeWater in October 2025, citing what Mendoza described as numerous violations of contractual obligations. PrimeWater has since pursued legal remedies to challenge efforts to remove it from operations.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/10/1/primewater-under-fire-anew-in-house-budget-hearing-over-continued-poor-services-0239" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PrimeWater under fire anew in House budget hearing over continued poor services</a></div>The dispute escalated further after a Las Piñas court issued an injunction related to the controversy.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/9/29/primewater-failing-capex-obligations-even-as-service-sinks-senator-1631" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PrimeWater failing capex obligations even as service sinks: senator</a></div>But Mendoza said the city intends to fight the case through all available legal channels.&quot;If we need to appeal it to the higher courts, we will do it. We are ready.&quot;The city has tapped Metro Pacific Bulacan Waters as an interim operator under emergency measures, subject to ongoing court proceedings and regulatory approvals.Officials say immediate repairs are already underway.&quot;Six months to one year, all of the repairs that need to be done, that the residents get water regularly, is committed.&quot;Mendoza expressed confidence that residents would begin seeing improvements within months.&quot;In six months&#x27; time, we will be able to repair all the damage, the pipes and facilities.&quot;&quot;Within a year, we will be able to distribute the major components of our water infrastructure... the pressure will be increased and the water will be cleaned,&quot; he added.For city officials, the issue goes beyond contracts and court cases.&quot;Our primary concern here is the well-being of our residents.&quot;As the legal battle continues, hundreds of thousands of residents remain caught in the middle—many still waking up before dawn, hoping water finally flows from their taps.ABS-CBN is reaching out to PrimeWater for its comments.<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Fxwxtl6U38?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>

A growing water crisis affecting an estimated 250,000 residents has intensified a high-stakes legal and political battle between the City Government of San Jose del Monte, the local water district, and PrimeWater.

A growing water crisis affecting an estimated 250,000 residents has intensified a high-stakes legal and political battle between the City Government of San Jose del Monte, the local water district, and PrimeWater.

'Ala-una pa lang gising na:' 250,000 Bulacan residents caught in escalating PrimeWater crisis

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'Ala-una pa lang gising na:' 250,000 Bulacan residents caught in escalating PrimeWater crisis

Raine Musñgi,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 23, 2026 11:47 AM PHT

Read More:

San Jose Del Monte

PrimeWater

water supply

Bulacan

infrastructure

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