Water Utilities Division Profile

The NWRB executes its economic regulatory functions through its Water Utilities Division, consisting of four (4) sections, namely:

• Registration and Licensing Section;
• Water Rates and Evaluation Section;
• Litigation and Adjudication Section; and
• Systems and Accounts Section.

As the economic regulator of private water utilities, the powers and functions of the NWRB, as such, can be traced back to the Public Service Commission, which was created under Commonwealth Act No. 146, as amended (November 1936). In 1972, the Integrated Reorganization Plan abolished the Public Service Commission, and its adjudicatory and regulatory functions over water supply services were transferred to the Board of Power and Waterworks.

In 1977, the powers and functions of the Board of Power and Waterworks were transferred to the National Water Resources Council (“NWRC”) pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1206. Accordingly, the NWRC was vested with power to control, regulate and supervise waterworks systems, specifically:

• to adjudicate and grant CPC, CPCN to operators of waterworks utility system and services;
• to impose penalties for administrative violations and promulgate rules and regulations relative thereto;
• to supervise and control waterworks utilities and their franchises and other properties; regulate and fix water rates to be charged by waterworks operators, except those falling under the jurisdiction of the MWSS and LWUA and water districts;
• to exercise original jurisdiction over all disputes relating to water rates of utilities and decide on appeal water rates involving water districts;
• to impose and collect Annual Supervision regulation Fees or charges from waterworks systems and public utility operators pursuant to Commonwealth Act No. 146.

The NWRC was later renamed to the National water Resources Board, pursuant to Executive Order No. 124, which was issued on January 30, 1987.

The NWRB regulation of private water utilities covers subdivisions, private water operators, resettlement areas, economic zones, rural water and sanitation associations, water cooperatives, locators, small-scale service providers and condominiums in 78 provinces and 115 cities nationwide.