JAEN, Nueva Ecija — Residents of this municipality are assured of safe household water supply as the local water district has entered into a partnership venture with a private firm under the government’s public-private partnership, a ranking water district official said Sunday.
Nenita Carlos-Lagasca, chairman of the board of the Jaen Water District (JWD) said the joint venture with Prime Water Jaen (PWJ) enables its expansion even as the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) keeps its regulatory power over the system.
Lagasca said that some 200 households in the outskirt Sitio Bantug, Barangay Marawa this town would benefit from the 1.8-kilometer pipelaying expansion project that was launched on November 16, the first activity under the joint venture.
Resident Marian Zuniga expressed relief that her children would now have uncontaminated water.
“They will no longer have a hard time and this is sure safe,” Zuniga, who paid the registration fee for her household connection on the spot.
Lawyer Gemma Aspiras of PWJ said their firm is bringing in to the municipality its expertise in running a water utility company on top of some PHP1-billion investment.
She, however, said JWD keeps its identity despite the 25-year joint venture contract.
“They still have the board and the management,” she said.
She said they are aware of the goal to make potable water available to 16,000 households for the duration of the contract.
JWD presently serves some 5,000 households, Lagasca said. (PNA)
