AT A GLANCE
ANGELES CITY, Pampanga – Water service long before PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation (PrimeWater) came and assumed operations in Barangay Capaya was reliable and consistent. These days, Mark Galvez lamented, things have changed.
Local residents like Galvez have had to save and store water, plan their daily routines around weak water pressure, and cope with recurring water interruptions after PrimeWater took over the city’s water district.
“The water pressure was consistent. You’d never have to deal with these issues, unlike what’s happening now,” he said on Saturday, July 25. Now, recurring leakages, dirty water, low water pressure, and rust-smelling water have become part of everyday life.
PrimeWater began operating the city’s water distribution system on November 16, 2020, after entering into a joint venture agreement with the Angeles City Water District (ACWD). As early as 2022, Angeles City residents had already complained about PrimeWater too. Four years later, the problem persists.
Under the 2022 agreement, the company was supposed to assume responsibility for financing, developing, operating, and maintaining the city’s water supply and septage management system.
Since then, Galvez said the recurring problems have disrupted his routine.
“There was one instance where I was late because I couldn’t take a shower due to low water pressure,” Galvez shared. “We couldn’t wash dishes or wash our clothes when we needed to.”
Across the city, similar stories have become commonplace, reminiscent of past stories in other parts of the country about almost identical experiences — Bulacan, Cavite, Caloocan, La Union, Camarines Norte, and Bacolod, among others.
In an interview also on July 25, Arlene Montoya, a mother of three from Barangay Pulungbulu, said her family now stores water in advance to cope with low water pressure every morning.
“From morning until the afternoon, we only receive a small amount of water from our faucets, and the water pressure only improves at night or around midnight,” she continued.
Unlike other residents, Crisiane Caranto of Barangay Pandan told Rappler on July 26 that water pressure in his area is generally stable. But whenever the power goes out, so does the water supply.
“Our main problem is that the water supply takes a long time to recover whenever there is a power outage in our area,” Caranto said.
“It usually takes almost a full day before the water pressure returns to normal. During that time, the water flow is extremely weak, and the water sometimes appears gray, which we believe is due to sediment.”
His household raised the concerns with PrimeWater through email. However, he said, the problem persists with no visible improvements.
Complaints mount online
Similar complaints continue to surface in the public Facebook group PrimeWater Angeles City Consumer Complaints Group, established in February 2024, with over 2,600 members sharing service concerns.
In early July, several users reported water interruptions affecting multiple barangays.
“Whenever it rains, we automatically lose our water supply from 7 am until 3 pm, and here in Malabanias, we sometimes don’t get water back until 5 pm,” said member Angela Pabustan. “This happens every day. There’s nothing new about our water service provider’s poor service.”
In another post, Ems Somil of Barangay Claro M. Recto said her household had gone without water for four consecutive days, from July 1 to July 5.
“Everyone knows that water is a basic need,” she wrote, addressing PrimeWater. “Why won’t you give up operating the service? We’re the ones who are suffering.” Similar stories were shared by Esmeralda Paruli Tuazon of Barangay Agapito del Rosario, who said the lack of water left students and workers in her household unable to bathe properly.
“We’re not used to living like this, and we can’t even wash our dishes properly. Tomorrow is laundry day — how are we supposed to do our laundry if we still don’t have water? We never fail to pay our bills,” she added.
Between July 1 and July 26, PrimeWater Angeles posted at least 37 advisories citing flushing activities, repairs, installations, and technical problems as causes of water interruptions.
City council revives investigation
In 2022, the Angeles City Council launched an investigation after consumers across 22 of the city’s 33 barangays reported water interruptions, low to no water pressure, and discolored water.
Then-mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. also directed PrimeWater to address complaints over its “inefficient water supply.” Four years later, similar concerns have prompted the council to revisit the issue.
In a July 24 Facebook post, city councilor Maricel “Marang” Morales-Agoncillo said the council’s analysis and an Office of the City Building Official (OCBO) survey showed that Angeles City’s water service problems were “no longer a joke.”
The assessment followed the council’s July 8 move to revive scrutiny of PrimeWater and the Angeles Electric Corporation through measures aimed at improving accountability.
Among these is Proposed Ordinance No. 2P-2026-07, or the Angeles City Utility Transparency Ordinance of 2026, which would require advance notices for rate increases and service interruptions while penalizing negligence.
The council is also seeking legislative inquiries that would require officials of PrimeWater and AEC to explain reported service failures and spikes in electricity bills.
Another proposal calls for the deployment of potable water tankers to barangays affected by prolonged water outages at no additional cost to residents.
“I am standing up because this utility crisis is not just an infrastructure dispute or a corporate disagreement, it is a direct assault on the well-being of our children and the dignity of our families,” Morales said in her privilege speech.
“This is a national issue playing right in our local backyards. Across the Philippines, the promises of utility privatization have left consumers at the mercy of monopolies,” she added.
Woes persist outside Angeles City
It appears that Angeles City is not alone in its water woes.
In the neighboring city of San Fernando, consumers have also complained of poor service.
Jan Matsumoto of Barangay San Isidro told Rappler on July 21 that weekday water interruptions have become common, forcing residents to store water in seven-liter bottles for daily needs.
“Aside from that, the water is dirty,” he said. “There are times when the water is green or yellow.”
The complaints in San Fernando prompted government action.
In late 2025, Mayor Vilma Caluag suspended PrimeWater’s operations and turned them over to the City of San Fernando Water District, citing repeated service lapses and unresolved complaints.
Executive Order No. CMO2025-087 also cited deficiencies in system maintenance, service reliability, and compliance with standards.
In Angeles City, the proposed measures against utility providers remain pending as residents continue to await improvements in water services.
“We hope that AEC, PrimeWater, and all utility providers will take action with an open mind and cooperation for the good of the people,” Morales said in a post. She added that cooperation with utility providers can help ensure sufficient water supply and fair rates.
Until then, residents continue to wait for improvements in their water services.
“They can look back into the reports submitted by us customers and give us confirmation so we are not left in the dark as to why there is no action yet,” Caranto said.
Galvez also hopes the concerns raised by residents will be heard.
“We hope that they listen to the voice of the people. I hope that they serve and work like they should,” he said.
While residents continue to grapple with water service issues, the Villars, the former owners of PrimeWater, once again secured two seats in the Senate through Mark and Camille Villar in 2022 and 2025, respectively.
The company was fully acquired by the Lucio Co Group in December 2025.
Rappler sought a statement from PrimeWater Angeles regarding the complaints and proposed measures. The company acknowledged receipt of the request but has yet to respond. – Rappler.com
Ahyenne Neleah Estacio is a graduating Bachelor of Arts in Communication student and campus journalist at Holy Angel University. The current senior editor and former editor-in-chief of The Angelite, she is an Aries Rufo Fellow for 2026.
Statements originally made in Filipino were translated into English.
How does this make you feel?
Facts Only
PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation assumed operations of the Angeles City water distribution system on November 16, 2020.
The operation began via a joint venture agreement with the Angeles City Water District (ACWD).
Residents in Barangay Capaya, Barangay Pulungbulu, and Barangay Pandan reported low water pressure, discolored water, and interruptions.
A public Facebook group for PrimeWater Angeles City consumer complaints was created in February 2024 and had over 2,600 members by July 2024.
PrimeWater Angeles posted 37 advisories between July 1 and July 26 citing repairs, flushing, and technical problems.
The Angeles City Council revived an investigation into water service issues in July 2024.
Proposed Ordinance No. 2P-2026-07 seeks to require advance notices for rate increases and service interruptions.
Mayor Vilma Caluag of San Fernando suspended PrimeWater's operations in late 2025 and transferred them to the City of San Fernando Water District.
The Lucio Co Group fully acquired PrimeWater in December 2025.
Mark and Camille Villar won Senate seats in 2022 and 2025, respectively; the Villar family were former owners of PrimeWater.
Executive Summary
Water service in Angeles City has faced significant reliability issues since PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation took over operations from the local water district in 2020. Residents across multiple barangays report a decline in water pressure, frequent interruptions, and poor water quality, contrasting these current conditions with the perceived stability of the previous system. While some areas report more stable pressure, they remain vulnerable to prolonged outages following power failures.
In response, the Angeles City Council is pursuing legislative measures to increase corporate accountability and transparency, including a proposed ordinance to penalize negligence. This local crisis mirrors a broader regional trend, as evidenced by the City of San Fernando's decision to suspend PrimeWater's operations in 2025 due to similar service failures. Although PrimeWater has issued numerous technical advisories and the company has transitioned ownership to the Lucio Co Group, residents maintain that substantive improvements have not materialized.
Full Take
The strongest version of this narrative is a case study in the failures of utility privatization, where a private entity assumes control of a basic human necessity but fails to maintain the infrastructure, leaving the public with diminished service and limited recourse.
The narrative follows a clear pattern: the juxtaposition of "reliable public service" against "unreliable private profit." By linking local water failures to the political ascent of the Villar family and subsequent corporate acquisitions, the text frames a systemic issue of accountability. It suggests that while ownership and political power shift at the top, the material reality for the consumer—dirty water and dry taps—remains static.
The root cause is the tension between the profit motives of a monopoly and the public mandate for essential services. The unstated assumption is that the joint venture agreement prioritized corporate expansion over operational maintenance. This echoes a global pattern where "privatization" promises efficiency but often results in "rent-seeking" behavior, where infrastructure is neglected while bills continue to be paid.
The implication is a loss of human dignity; when a basic need becomes a luxury of "luck" based on one's barangay, the social contract is breached. The cost is borne by the working class and students, while the benefit of the infrastructure's ability to generate revenue continues to flow upward to corporate owners.
Patterns detected: none
If this were a coordinated influence campaign, it would weaponize specific anecdotal failures to trigger a wider populist revolt against all private utilities, regardless of performance. The actual content remains grounded in localized grievances and specific legislative responses.
Bridge Questions:
1. How do the specific terms of the joint venture agreement between ACWD and PrimeWater define "maintenance" and "development"?
2. Would the deployment of potable water tankers solve the systemic failure, or would it serve as a temporary palliative that reduces pressure for permanent structural reform?
3. What objective metrics of water quality and pressure are being used by the OCBO survey to define the crisis?
Sentinel — Human
The text reads like a compilation of local reporting that blends direct resident testimony with official statements, suggesting it is a human-driven aggregation of specific community grievances rather than purely synthetic content.