Mayor Greg Gasataya successfully brokered an emergency agreement between BACIWA-PrimeWater and Bacolod Bulk Water Incorporated (BBWI) on Monday, August 11, preventing a potential water shortage that could have affected thousands of residents.
The crisis stemmed from BBWI’s threat to shut down its Sum-Ag Water Treatment Plant due to unpaid invoices from May to June 2025, according to a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office.
BBWI is a crucial supplier for Bacolod, providing 40 percent of BACIWA-PrimeWater’s total capacity through its Granada and Sum-Ag treatment plants.
A shutdown would have severely impacted eight barangays — Sum-Ag, Cabug, Felisa, Handumanan, Mansilingan, Punta Taytay, Pahanocoy, and Tangub — all of which rely on the Mansilingan Reservoir.
“The effect on the city would have been severe. We already had a water turbidity problem, and if there had been a cutoff, it would have created an even bigger problem,” Gasataya said.
Following the mayor’s intervention, BACIWA-PrimeWater has committed to settling its outstanding debts. Both parties also agreed to implement long-term payment protocols to prevent future disputes.
“Moving forward, there will be steps undertaken to ensure these things won’t happen again,” Gasataya said.
As of now, water services remain uninterrupted as the utilities work to stabilize their payment agreements.*