Hiraya Water Launches P600-M Cavite Project for Water System Upgrade

MANILA, Philippines — Hiraya Water Corp., formerly PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp., has commenced a P600-million project to rehabilitate and expand its water distribution system in Dasmariñas City, Cavite. This initiative marks the first major infrastructure undertaking under Crystal Bridges Holdings Corp., owned by retail magnate Lucio Co., who acquired PrimeWater from the Villar family in May. The company had previously allocated over P6.7 billion for the initial phase of its rehabilitation and expansion program. A key component of the Dasmariñas project is the replacement of 24 kilometers of old water pipelines. The first phase will focus on replacing a nine-kilometer pipeline in Barangays Sampaloc IV and Victoria Reyes, expected to benefit approximately 16,000 households by increasing daily water availability to 12 to 24 hours and significantly improving water pressure. Hiraya Water also plans to construct a 700-cubic-meter water storage tank in Barangay Paliparan II and install a booster system to extend services to Barangay Paliparan III. These developments are projected to enhance water supply and pressure for around 8,700 service connections. Furthermore, the company is investing in developing a new water source to boost daily availability and pressure across 17 barangays. Hiraya Water President Jose Paulino Santamarina stated that these investments aim to restore customer trust. "It marks the beginning of restoring public trust, not through words alone, but through completed projects and services that every resident can genuinely experience," he said. The company began operating as Hiraya Water in June after SEC approval. Prior to the ownership transfer, PrimeWater faced an investigation by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) due to consumer complaints regarding interrupted supply and high charges in various provinces.