January 31, 2021
Digicast Negros By Marchel P. Espina
PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. is looking to augment the water supply of Bacolod City following its joint venture agreement with the Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA).
Michael Soliva, BACIWA acting general manager, said the new water source development project at East Homes 6 in Barangay Mansilingan is expected to improve the water supply in the area and neighboring villages. Its groundbreaking was held in December.
With the new water source, water supply along the Handumanan-Felisa wells could be diverted to other areas, he added.
He said that drilling work for the project is expected to start in the second quarter of this year.
PrimeWater is also conducting feasibility studies on putting up additional wells in the city, including in barangays Estefania and Villamonte, he said.
He said that the geo-resistivity survey team is still evaluating the proposed sites and conducting the studies, adding that the full implementation of the project would depend on their recommendations.
PrimeWater, owned by the Villar family, took over the operations of BACIWA in November last year. However, the joint venture agreement displaced 60 workers due to position redundancy.
Lorendo Dilag, BACIWA board chair, earlier said that the utility firm entered into the JVA with PrimeWater because it is necessary, practical, and beneficial because the utility firm does not have the financial capacity on its own to fund an expansion project that will answer Bacolod’s need for more water amid the growing population.*
