• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
After the PrimeWater-Bacolod City settled its outstanding obligations for bulk water supply on December 13, the Bacolod Bulk Water Inc. (BBWI) assured water concessionaires in Bacolod City that there will be no interruption in the bulk water supply.
Normal operations shall continue to support the uninterrupted water service with Bacolod City, the BBWI said in a statement.
Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said that he is closely coordinating with Mayor Greg Gasataya, the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Bacolod City Water District, BBWI, and PrimeWater, to ensure that this matter will not be repeated in the future.
Benitez also called on all parties to exercise prudence and responsibility in issuing statements, saying that while transparency is important, communications that may cause unnecessary panic, confusion, or anxiety among the public should be avoided.
BACIWA chairperson Atty. Sonia Verdeflor earlier warned of a possible shutdown after PrimeWater allegedly failed to pay P11 million in bulk water deliveries since September, prompting suppliers to issue a final extension until Dec. 14.
At least 40 percent of BACIWA-PrimeWater’s water supply is sourced from BBWI’s treatment facilities, according to Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya.
It is very unfortunate that after the City’s intervention to resolve the same issue last July, another one arose under the watch of BACIWA who has the ultimate and primary obligation under its current Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with PrimeWater to ensure that no water crisis will never occur in Bacolod, Gasataya said.
We will never allow that the welfare of our constituents will be prejudiced and compromised, just because someone is remiss of its contractual obligations, the mayor stressed.*
