PrimeWater

PrimeWater

Company type	Privately-held / Public utility
Founded	August 10, 2006;18 years ago (2006-08-10)
Headquarters	Taguig, Metro Manila , Philippines
Number of locations	Around 100 partnered water districts (2021)
Services	Water infrastructure development, delivery sewerage and sanitation
Owner	Manuel Paolo Villar
Parent	Prime Asset Ventures
Website	primewatercorp.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 is associated with the Villar business and political family which includes former senators Manny and Cynthia Villar. ^{[2] [3]}

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. ^[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 this 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. ^[3]

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

In May 2025, the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) began investigation on PrimeWater over its alleged poor services and high cost heading to an order by President Bongbong Marcos. ^{[1] [8]} This is despite Marcos' inclusion of Camille Villar in the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas electoral alliance ahead of the upcoming 2025 Philippine general election. ^[2] The investigation also examined alleged conflicts of interest involving Mark Villar, who was secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways when PrimeWater's JVAs significantly expanded in 2019 while LWUA was attached to the department. ^[9]

Service areas

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 Local Water Utilities Administration. ^[3] Water districts by law cannot be sold to private corporations, hence PrimeWater develops these areas under a joint venture agreements (JVAs) ^[10]

References

1. "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. Miraflor, Madelaine. "Prime Water has taken over 100 water districts". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
4. "About Us". Prime Water. 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. "TV Patrol: LWUA iniimbestigahan ang Primewater dahil sa mga reklamo". ABS-CBN News. May 2, 2025. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
9. Buan, Lian (July 4, 2025). "PrimeWater probe covers 'possible conflict' of DPWH under Mark Villar". Rappler. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
10. "Primewater boosts services of water districts". Manila Bulletin. May 27, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2025.