BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) urged the Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA) and PrimeWater Infrastructure Inc. (PrimeWater) to reduce the minimum water rate charges for consumers affected by frequent water shortages.
In a resolution passed on Wednesday, the council also proposed that charges be waived for consumers who have had no water supply for an entire month.
Councilor Renecito Novero stressed the importance of water, stating, “Water means life; therefore, without water, humans cannot exist.”
Under the Local Government Code of the Philippines, the city council is tasked with providing basic services, including an adequate water supply, he said.
The council thus aims to construct and operate waterworks facilities to serve the city’s needs.
Novero lamented the current water supply problem in Bacolod, where many areas suffer from frequent interruptions, poor water quality, or a total lack of supply.
Despite these issues, consumers still face high minimum water rates of P220, even when service is disrupted or nonexistent.
According to Novero, continuing to charge these rates without providing services constitutes a breach of BACIWA-PrimeWater’s contractual obligations and results in unjust enrichment. He also expressed concern over the deprivation of due process for consumers, who face the threat of disconnection if they do not pay their water bills./PN
