The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) unanimously approved a resolution on Wednesday, August 6, urgently requesting Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA)-PrimeWater to immediately address widespread complaints of dark, foul-smelling, and contaminated water coming from residents’ faucets.
The resolution, authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito, calls on the water utility to provide a public report detailing the cause of the problem, the remedial measures being taken, and long-term solutions to the recurring issue.
Distrito said the resolution was a direct response to a surge of complaints from various parts of the city, including Taculing, Singcang, Sum-ag, Mansilingan, Banago, Cabug, Pahanocoy, Tangub, Alijis, Bata, and almost all numbered barangays.
Residents have reported that in recent days the water from their taps has been dark-colored and foul-smelling, he said, calling it a “contaminated water crisis’”
“Such water raises serious public health concerns due to the heightened risk of waterborne illnesses and other sanitation-related diseases that could affect children, the elderly, and vulnerable populations”, Distrito said in his resolution.
“The people of Bacolod deserve safe, clean, and potable water. BACIWA-PrimeWater must immediately explain what caused this water contamination and what they are doing about it. The absence of clear communication and accountability is unacceptable”, he said.
BACIWA-PrimeWater, as the official water utility service provider in the City of Bacolod, holds the primary responsibility to provide uninterrupted, safe, and potable water in compliance with national water safety standards and regulatory guidelines, he added.
In a show of solidarity, the entire City Council, led by Vice Mayor Kalaw Puentevella, agreed to personally deliver the resolution to BACIWA-PrimeWater, Distrito said.
This action, suggested by Councilor Homer Bais, is intended to underscore the SP’s seriousness and indignation over the deteriorating water service, he said.
“We are united in this action because we are echoing the cries of our constituents. By delivering this resolution ourselves, we are showing that the Sangguniang Panlungsod stands with the people,” Puentevella said.
“We want PrimeWater-BACIWA to see the faces behind this demand — and those faces are the people of Bacolod who have suffered long enough”, he added.
The resolution specifically demands a full public report that identifies the cause of the water quality issues, lists the affected barangays and households, and outlines both the immediate safety measures and the long-term solutions being implemented to prevent recurrence.
The resolution is expected to be delivered within the week.
“This is not a political issue — it is a matter of public welfare and dignity. If they continue to ignore us, we will not stop raising our voices until the people of Bacolod are no longer forced to endure this kind of treatment from their water service provider”, Distrito said.*