PrimeWater

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PrimeWater
Company typePrivately-held / Public utility
FoundedAugust 10, 2006; 19 years ago (2006-08-10)
Headquarters
Taguig, Metro Manila
,
Philippines
Number of locations
Around 100 partnered water districts (2021)
ServicesWater infrastructure development, delivery
sewerage and sanitation
OwnerVillar Group (2006–2025)
Crystal Bridges Holding (2025–present)
ParentPrime Asset Ventures
Websiteprimewatercorp.com

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.[1] 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.[2][3]

History

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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.[4]

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,[5] which continued to expand in the 2010s by entering joint venture agreements (JVAs) with state-owned water districts.[6]

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).[3]

In 2023, the Commission on Audit noted lapses on PrimeWater's JVAs with Dasmariñas, Silang, Tagaytay, Trece Martires, and Malaybalay water districts.[7][8]

In May 2025, the LWUA began investigating PrimeWater over its alleged poor services and high cost leading to an order by President Bongbong Marcos.[1][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

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A water tower in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, bearing the logos of the city's joint water service providers, San Jose del Monte Water District and PrimeWater

By 2021, PrimeWater entered into joint venture of operations with 100 water districts in the Philippines according to the LWUA.[3] 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

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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]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Marcos to order probe of PrimeWater". BusinessWorld. April 30, 2025. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  2. ^ Oliquino, Edjen (May 2, 2025). "Camille Villar still admin bet despite Marcos' PrimeWater probe". Daily Tribune. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Miraflor, Madelaine. "Prime Water has taken over 100 water districts". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  4. ^ "About Us". PrimeWater. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  5. ^ "Down the drain: Philippines water joint ventures stir anger". Eco-Business. Thomas Reuters Foundation. August 15, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  6. ^ Espino, Allen (2020). "Problematizing Privatization: How Private Takeover of Local Water Districts Impacts Gender Mainstreaming" (PDF). Philippine Journal of Social Development. 13. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  7. ^ de Leon, Dwight (April 15, 2025). "In Cavite, elections spotlight residents' longstanding woes with Villars' PrimeWater". Rappler. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
  8. ^ G, Herbie (July 17, 2023). "COA urges Malaybalay water district to take back control from Villar firm". RAPPLER. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  9. ^ "TV Patrol: LWUA iniimbestigahan ang Primewater dahil sa mga reklamo". ABS-CBN News. May 2, 2025. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  10. ^ Buan, Lian (July 4, 2025). "PrimeWater probe covers 'possible conflict' of DPWH under Mark Villar". Rappler. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  11. ^ Esmael, Lisbet K. (December 16, 2025). "Lucio Co Group to take over Villar's PrimeWater". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  12. ^ "Primewater boosts services of water districts". Manila Bulletin. May 27, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  13. ^ "QMWD, isinusulong ang terminasyon ng kasunduan sa PrimeWater dahil umano sa kapabayaan | BRIGADA BALITA". brigada.ph. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  14. ^ "QMWD sites "substantial breaches," seeks to end PrimeWATER joint venture". Sentinel Times. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  15. ^ "San Jose del Monte Water Board moves to pre-terminate PrimeWater". www.pna.gov.ph. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  16. ^ Mondia, Joanne (April 28, 2025). "NOTICE OF INTENT TO PRE-TERMINATE JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT WITH PRIMEWATER - City of San Jose del Monte". Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  17. ^ Tolosa, James (August 12, 2025). "Bulacan terminates PrimeWater contract, cites 'ironic' flood and faucet woes". Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  18. ^ Sugimoto, Maiko (August 12, 2025). "Bulacan umalma sa PrimeWater: 'Baha sa labas, sa gripo tuyo'" [Bulacan criticizes PrimeWater: 'streets are flooded, faucets are dry'] (in Tagalog). Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  19. ^ "Leyte water district seeks termination of deal with PrimeWater". www.pna.gov.ph. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  20. ^ "Leyte water district to heed mounting calls to end contract with PrimeWater". Philippine Information Agency. May 7, 2025. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  21. ^ Sunnexdesk (August 14, 2025). "Execs push for termination of MCWD-PrimeWater JVA". SunStar Publishing Inc. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  22. ^ Regidor, Bombo Michael John (May 1, 2025). "Joint Venture Agreement tali sa Prime Water og Malaybalay City Water District, boot i-terminate ni Mayor Pabillaran". Bombo Radyo Malaybalay. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  23. ^ iOrbitNews (May 1, 2025). "CSFWD moves to terminate PrimeWater contract". iOrbit News Online. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  24. ^ "AT LONG LAST? SPWD moves to terminate JVA with PrimeWater". OpinYon News. July 23, 2025. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  25. ^ "Santa Cruz Water District moves to cut ties with PrimeWater". OpinYon News. July 7, 2025. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  26. ^ Team, Punto News (June 4, 2025). "Subic council urges water district to terminate JVA with PrimeWater". Punto! Central Luzon. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  27. ^ Nasiad, Frederick M. (May 11, 2025). "Water district terminates deal with PrimeWater in La Union". The Manila Times. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  28. ^ G, Herbie (June 27, 2025). "La Union group slams court protection order in favor of PrimeWater". RAPPLER. Retrieved September 28, 2025.