In Angeles City, recurring water woes define life under PrimeWater

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. DRY FAUCET. A household in Angeles City leaves its faucet open in hopes that water will eventually flow. Photo by Ahyenne Estacio/Rappler “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. COMPLAINTS. A screenshot of the public Facebook group PrimeWater Angeles City Consumer Complaints Group. 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. WATER INTERRUPTION. PrimeWater Angeles listed 24 barangays that may experience low water pressure to no water supply until further notice. 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.