CITY of San Fernando Water District chairman Ferdinand Caylao hailed the now three-year-old joint venture (JV) agreement with Primewater Infrastructure Corporation (Primewater) as a worthwhile decision for the benefit of concessionaires and in the development of the water utility that serves this capital city.
Caylao, who recalled the turbulent passing of the agreement three-years ago during the anniversary program the other day, said the negative criticisms that the board and the water utility endured had all been proven false.
“We could not have made it today, with all the developments happening all around San Fernando if not for the JV agreement. The demand for more connections and better services are greater now than three years ago,” Caylao added.
The City of San Fernando Water District signed a P2.9-billion contractual joint venture for 25 years. Since the start of the agreement, PrimeWater is investing to meet targets in water generation, expansion and rehabilitation of pumping stations, maintenance of buildings and other facilities, billing and collection, maintenance of waterlines and reduction of leakage.
The P2.9 billion is intended solely for capital expenditures and excludes power cost, personnel salaries and benefits, and JV share. The first five years scheduled P744 million for improving the water system.
In the past three years, PrimeWater had been building new facilities like pumping stations, rehabilitating old ones and adding new generators for efficient operations.
With the JV, which is done under the public-private partnership program of the national government, the CSFWD remains a government-owned and controlled corporation, with the CSFWD board retaining its power to set policy directions.
Caylao said that PrimeWater had been meeting its end of the agreement and more developments in the city’s water service infrastructure are set to be undertaken in the coming months, all these to strengthen the water utility’s service system and improve quality of water services in anticipation of the rapid commercial and residential developments in the city.