By Mae Singuay

Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez is considering another concessioner for bulk water to solve supply problems in the city.

“If PrimeWater Infrastructure Inc. can’t assure us that they will look at a massive piping, I will entertain another concessioner [for bulk water],” Benitez said during a press conference yesterday.

“I would entertain a public-private partnership [PPP] arrangement, as I understand the city can go ahead from bulk water supply all the way to distribution,” he added.

Benitez said this would be a separate entity and several companies have already signified their interest.

He also met some homeowners over the weekend and they were complaining of muddy and dirty water flowing from their faucets.

They said they have to open their faucets until clean water comes out, but they are worried because they are paying for the unused water.

“Ang water pipes naton tam-an na kahigko. There will be no way to clean the water because it is there already,” he said.

Currently, city residents are dependent on bulk water suppliers Bacolod Water District and PrimeWater.

In 2020, the two firms signed a joint venture agreement for a 25-year project worth P6.8 billion to resolve the low water supply problem in the city.

Benitez said for two years of operation of PrimeWater, there should be a desire for their operation.

“I will communicate to them that what we need is a new piping system because if we don’t invest in the water pipes, we always have a problem with the sediment which is already there for long years,” Benitez said./MS, WDJ