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98 water refilling stations in Bicol issued health permits
by AB Calleja
LEGAZPI CITY (29 June 2005) —- The Department of Health - Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) in Bicol had issued health permits to some 98 water-refilling stations operating all throughout the region.

This was learned from DOH Regional Sanitary Engineer William Sabater who said that as of June 15, most of the water-refilling stations are located in the province of Albay with 44 water stations accredited; 32 in Camarines Sur; 10 in Sorsogon; 9 in Masbate; 2 in Camarines Norte; and one water station in Catanduanes.

According to Sabater, these 98 water refilling stations in the region have satisfied the requirements for the issuance of initial permit which included: 1) Application letter, 2) Plan indicating the piping layout, isometry and details of water purifier duly signed by the Regional Sanitary Engineer; 3) Certification from the manufacturer that the water purification device is approved for sale by the DOH; 4) Drinking water site clearance by the local health office or certificate of potability of drinking water issued by the local health officer if raw water is sourced from a private water supply system.

He said that after the issuance of an initial permit, health authorities collect 2 water samples from each station every month to test water potability. “One sample is the raw water before the refilling process and the other is the product water which the station release for sale.”

Sabater pointed out that such water testing double checks the quality of water basically in terms of its disinfection unit, ultra-violet light and the amount of contaminants the water contains before and after the filter processes.

“In case a harmful element is detected the DOH will order a temporary closure of the station until they fix the water problem,” Eng’r. Sabater explained adding that monitoring of each station is one of the primary tasks of the local government unit.

He clarified that the water from refilling stations has only a one month warranty if stacked in a container while bottled water should be consumed within one year from the time it was packaged.

Sabater pointed out that the mandate in the Water Supply Sanitation Code of the Philippines states that the local health authority shall create a Local Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Committee to oversee the operation of the water systems and the quality of the end-product distributed by them and to monitor the implementation of other provisions. “This, according to the implementing rules, should be composed of the municipal/city health authority, rural health unit, Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the municipal/city engineering office and the DOH representative to the local health board.”

But the problem, Sabater laments, is that we see no actions from the LGU as far as implementation of the water sanitation provisions is concerned. “The DOH has already requested the local government to implement fully the provisions for all the water supply in the locality including those supplied by the Legazpi City Water District (LCWD) in the case of Legazpi City.”

Sabater bared LCWD monitors the water’s quality and standard without a third party. “They check their water supply by themselves without interventions from local health authorities which clearly violate the provision in the said code.” (PIA)

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