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PrimeWater

Primewater Infrastructure Corporation (dba as PrimeWater) is a water and wastewater services provider in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Prime Asset Ventures, Inc. The company was associated with the Villar business and political family which includes former senators Manny and Cynthia Villar before being sold to tycoon Lucio Co.[1]

History

PrimeWater was established on August 10, 2006. In five years, it has expanded its reach to cover areas across the Philippines in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.[2]

Water in the Philippines are supplied by water districts which are government-owned which often deals with funding issues. This led to them entering into public private partnerships to develop their water supply capabilities. Among these private firms is PrimeWater,[3] which continued to expand in the 2010s by entering joint venture agreements (JVAs) with state-owned water districts.[4]

By 2021, PrimeWater controls 100 water districts out of the more than 500 districts in the Philippines according to the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).[5]

In 2023, the Commission on Audit noted lapses on PrimeWater's JVAs with Dasmariñas, Silang, Tagaytay, Trece Martires, and Malaybalay water districts.[6][7] In May 2025, the LWUA began investigating PrimeWater over its alleged poor services and high cost leading to an order by President Bongbong Marcos.[8][9] The investigation also examined alleged conflicts of interest involving Mark Villar, who was a secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways when PrimeWater's JVAs were significantly expanded in 2019 while LWUA was attached to the department.[10]

In December 2025, the Villar group announced that that Crystal Bridges Holding Corp. of Lucio Co will acquire full ownership of Primewater.[11]

Service areas

By 2021, PrimeWater entered into joint venture of operations with 100 water districts in the Philippines according to the LWUA.[5] Water districts by law cannot be sold to private corporations, hence PrimeWater develops these areas under a joint venture agreement.[12]

Pre-termination of joint venture agreements

In March 2025, the Quezon Metropolitan Water District (QMWD) initiated the termination of its joint venture agreement with PrimeWater.[13] In its official resolution, QMWD explicitly stated that PrimeWater "committed breaches which caused dissatisfaction of the concessionaires on the services of [PrimeWater]."[14]

The following month, the San Jose del Monte Water Board also moved to pre-terminate their joint venture agreements with PrimeWater, citing mounting consumer complaints, poor service quality and risks to public health.[15][16] In August, the provincial government of Bulacan formally moved to terminate all joint venture agreements with PrimeWater in the province.[17][18]

Other local government units and water districts also moved to pre-terminate their JVAs with PrimeWater, including:

In La Union, the Metro San Fernando Water District (MSFWD) which supplies water to the city of San Fernando, and the towns of Bauang, Bacnotan, San Juan, and San Gabriel terminated its JVA with PrimeWater on 8 May 2025.[27] However, PrimeWater petitioned the San Fernando Regional Trial Court for a protection order, which was granted in June 2025, allowing the company to continue overseeing the water supply in the MSFWD service area.[28]

  • Leyte Metropolitan Water District (serving Palo, Tanauan, Tolosa, Dagami, Pastrana, Santa Fe, Babatngon, and the City of Tacloban)[19][20]
  • Mabalacat, Pampanga[21]
  • Malaybalay, Bukidnon[22]
  • San Fernando, Pampanga[23]
  • San Pedro, Laguna[24]
  • Santa Cruz, Laguna[25]
  • Subic, Zambales[26]

References

  1. Edjen Oliquino. Camille Villar still admin bet despite Marcos' PrimeWater probe Daily Tribune, 2 May 2025, retrieved 3 May 2025^
  2. About Us PrimeWater, retrieved 3 May 2025^
  3. Down the drain: Philippines water joint ventures stir anger Eco-Business, 15 August 2023, retrieved 3 May 2025^
  4. Allen Espino. Problematizing Privatization: How Private Takeover of Local Water Districts Impacts Gender Mainstreaming Philippine Journal of Social Development, 2020, retrieved 3 May 2025^
  5. Madelaine Miraflor. Prime Water has taken over 100 water districts Manila Bulletin, retrieved 3 May 2025^
  6. Dwight de Leon. In Cavite, elections spotlight residents' longstanding woes with Villars' PrimeWater Rappler, 15 April 2025, retrieved 21 April 2025^
  7. Herbie G. COA urges Malaybalay water district to take back control from Villar firm RAPPLER, 2023-07-17, retrieved 2025-07-07^
  8. Marcos to order probe of PrimeWater BusinessWorld, 30 April 2025, retrieved 3 May 2025^
  9. TV Patrol: LWUA iniimbestigahan ang Primewater dahil sa mga reklamo ABS-CBN News, 2 May 2025, retrieved 3 May 2025^
  10. Lian Buan. PrimeWater probe covers ‘possible conflict’ of DPWH under Mark Villar Rappler, July 4, 2025, retrieved July 5, 2025^
  11. Lisbet K. Esmael. Lucio Co Group to take over Villar’s PrimeWater INQUIRER.net, 2025-12-16, retrieved 2025-12-17^
  12. Primewater boosts services of water districts Manila Bulletin, 27 May 2021, retrieved 3 May 2025^
  13. QMWD, isinusulong ang terminasyon ng kasunduan sa PrimeWater dahil umano sa kapabayaan brigada.ph, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  14. QMWD sites "substantial breaches," seeks to end PrimeWATER joint venture Sentinel Times, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  15. San Jose del Monte Water Board moves to pre-terminate PrimeWater www.pna.gov.ph, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  16. Joanne Mondia. NOTICE OF INTENT TO PRE-TERMINATE JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT WITH PRIMEWATER - City of San Jose del Monte 2025-04-28, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  17. James Tolosa. Bulacan terminates PrimeWater contract, cites 'ironic' flood and faucet woes 2025-08-12, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  18. Maiko Sugimoto. Bulacan umalma sa PrimeWater: ‘Baha sa labas, sa gripo tuyo’ 2025-08-12, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  19. Leyte water district seeks termination of deal with PrimeWater www.pna.gov.ph, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  20. Leyte water district to heed mounting calls to end contract with PrimeWater Philippine Information Agency, 2025-05-07, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  21. Execs push for termination of MCWD-PrimeWater JVA SunStar Publishing Inc., 2025-08-14, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  22. Michael John Regidor. Joint Venture Agreement tali sa Prime Water og Malaybalay City Water District, boot i-terminate ni Mayor Pabillaran Bombo Radyo Malaybalay, 2025-05-01, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  23. CSFWD moves to terminate PrimeWater contract iOrbit News Online, 2025-05-01, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  24. AT LONG LAST? SPWD moves to terminate JVA with PrimeWater OpinYon News, 2025-07-23, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  25. Santa Cruz Water District moves to cut ties with PrimeWater OpinYon News, 2025-07-07, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  26. Subic council urges water district to terminate JVA with PrimeWater Punto! Central Luzon, 2025-06-04, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  27. Frederick M. Nasiad. Water district terminates deal with PrimeWater in La Union The Manila Times, 2025-05-11, retrieved 2025-09-28^
  28. Herbie G. La Union group slams court protection order in favor of PrimeWater RAPPLER, 2025-06-27, retrieved 2025-09-28^