PrimeWater held the groundbreaking and blessing of two water source projects on Tuesday, April 16, a day after Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelado Benitez threatened to terminate their Joint Venture Agreement with the Bacolod City Water District.
Held was the groundbreaking of the Forbes Hill Water Source Interconnection and Pipelaying Project at the Circumferential Road in Barangay Bata, and blessing of the Highland Hills Water Source Development in Barangay Granada, the Bacolod Public Information Office reported.
The Forbes Hill project will bolster water supply by 2MLD, benefiting residents of barangays Eroreco, Bata, and Mandalagan, while the Highland Hills project aims to deliver an additional 2MLD to barangays Granada and Vista Alegre, it said.
The additional 4MLD from the two sources was Primewater’s additional commitment after the Water Summit called by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on January 19.
Benitez, at a press conference on Monday, said he was considering terminating the JVA for PrimeWater’s failure to address the worsening water needs of Bacolod City.
The mayor pointed out that Section 5.1.2 of the JVA states that PrimeWater shall ensure that all consumers enjoy uninterrupted 24-hour water supply by the end of November 2022.
Obviously this provision has not been complied with, this should have been rectified and a penalty should have been imposed, Benitez said.
He also said Section 5.1.3 of the JVA provides that from Nov. 13, 2020 PrimeWater shall continue to ensure that the water supplied to customers complies with standards set by the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water or with such prevailing standards on drinking water quality issued by the Department of Health or such other governmental agency of the Philippines that is tasked with issuing such standards.
Benitez noted that there are numerous complaints of dirty water being delivered to consumers that can be addressed through investment in the replacement of old water pipes.
PrimeWater officials were set to meet with Benitez on Tuesday but it was not known what they discussed.*