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BACIWA-PrimeWater slammed for ‘inadequate water supply’

Photo from BACIWA-PrimeWater FB

A consumers’ group slammed the Bacolod City Water District-PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. today, March 2, for its “inadequate” service.

Water Watch, a local advocacy group protecting the rights of the consumers, has expressed alarm over “the resurgence of our perennial water woes like turbid water, inadequate water supply, lack of pressure that limits water supply like a drop in the bucket.”

Wennie Sancho of Water Watch, in a statement today, said: “We cannot save water at night because there is no water at all. We are again hounded by the same problems that PrimeWater promised to solve when it tied the knot with BACIWA in the so-called joint venture.”

Following the joint venture, PrimeWater, which was owned by the Villar family, took over the operations of BACIWA in November 2020.

Lorendo Dilag, BACIWA board chair, earlier said that the utility firm entered into the joint venture agreement with PrimeWater because it is necessary, practical, and beneficial because the utility firm does not have the financial capacity on its own to fund an expansion project that will answer Bacolod’s need for more water amid the growing population.

But for Water Watch, the joint venture could become a “misadventure.”

Water Watch suggested that rehabilitation works should be done at a time when the water supply is not in demand.

“We appeal to PrimeWater to address this problem. Otherwise, people would think that your joint venture with BACIWA might become a misadventure. Some observers believed that the joint venture between Prime Water and BACIWA was merely a subterfuge for privatization under a purported business implication that private water companies can do it better in terms of water supply and services. That remains to be seen”, Sancho said.

BACIWA acting general manager Michael Soliva said the problem with the supply is being addressed, adding that it was attributed to a well breakdown.

He said the problem is mechanically-driven and it could not be avoided.

However, he assured the consumers that the new management is doing its best to address the existing problems.

“We’re asking everyone to extend their patience and give PrimeWater a chance to correct the problem…they are keen on acting on it,” he added.*

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