Water Deal Controversy! 20 Water District Want Out of Villar-Owned PrimeWater Contracts!

The water service mess involving Villar-owned PrimeWater is heating up as the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) revealed that at least 20 to 30 water districts want to terminate their contracts with the private utility firm due to poor service and alleged violations.

Out of 73 water districts that entered joint venture agreements with PrimeWater, a significant number are now seeking to pull out, citing lack of investment and failure to deliver consistent water supply as major issues.

The LWUA has completed its investigation into multiple complaints against the company, which is owned by the family of Senator Cynthia Villar, and is set to submit the findings and recommendations to Malacañang for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s review.

The probe uncovered major lapses in the contracts, including failure to meet investment commitments and widespread dissatisfaction from residents over water delivery issues. The findings were reportedly backed by firsthand accounts, actual documents, and a review of unsolicited proposals.

Investigators also discovered that most of the deals were unsolicited — PrimeWater allegedly initiated partnerships by directly courting water districts, bypassing public bidding procedures.

LWUA has withheld the specifics of its recommendations but stressed that the goal is to fix the problems and ensure better water service, not to assign blame.

As public frustration grows, pressure is now on the Villar-owned firm to address the concerns, while President Marcos is expected to decide on whether to uphold or cancel the controversial contracts — a move that could send shockwaves through the country’s water service industry.