The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Water Resource Management Office (WRMO) anticipates the rollout of more water refilling station services in existing water districts.
DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo David said in the future, private water refilling stations will become distributors of the central refilling station owned by the local water district and will no longer be allowed to operate their own equipment.
David expects the water refilling station venture pioneered by the water district of Daet in Camarines Norte to be replicated in other areas as it has proven to be viable, providing additional income to the water provider.
David said the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel have opined the project will not compete with private refilling stations.
“This is a game changer… The PCC said it is okay as long as government would not engage in anti-competitive practices like if the water district cuts off supply to the refilling stations,” David told reporters on the sidelines of the media reception of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Pasay City on Monday
David also heads the WRMO which is responsible for the integration and harmonization of all government efforts and regulatory activities to ensure availability and sustainable management of water resources in the country.
“We will have refilling stations within the water districts. We will ensure the quality of the water because they have their engineers unlike (the regular) water refilling stations,” David said.
He said water refilling stations operated by water districts can provide a cheaper alternative to as low as P15 per five-gallon container against P35 in Metro Manila and P40 in the provinces.
David said barangays with no access to tap water can be served by these refilling stations.
David said WRMO will craft a strategy that will transition existing water refilling stations into distributors.
“(They will have to) buy the water from the water districts and we will sell it at a cheaper price,” David said.
Based on latest information available from the National Water Resource Board’s Listahang Tubig, a total of 28,277 participants comprise the country’s water service providers.
Of the said number, unnamed water service providers lead with 8,862 equivalent to 31 percent. Meanwhile, the data showed there are 1,256 water refilling stations equivalent to 4 percent as well as 723 water districts which contributes 3 percent.
