• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Bacolod barangays should strictly monitor water refilling stations (WRS) in their respective areas, following reports of several operating without business and operational permits, the Sangguniang Panlungsod said.
The lack of required permits, including the mandatory Certificate of Potability, poses potential health hazards to consumers, the SP said in approving the resolution authored by Councilor Em Ang.
Ang, chairperson of the SP Committee on Health and Sanitation, noted that the steady increase in the number of WRS in Bacolod requires rigorous regulation to ensure that the drinking water provided to the public strictly complies with the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water.
“All water providers and refilling stations, especially those utilizing dual sourcing from deep wells and the Bacolod City Water District, are mandated under local laws to secure initial and operational permits prior to distribution,” she stressed.
The cooperation of barangay officials is a must in regulating local businesses and preventing the proliferation of undocumented and unsafe water suppliers, the SP said. “The collaborative monitoring at the barangay level will also aid in facilitating the necessary physicochemical and bacteriological water testing to ensure community health and safety.”
The barangays should also assist the City Health Office and the Water Quality Committee in mapping, geotagging, and monitoring Level 1 (point source) and Level 2 (communal faucet) water sources in their areas of responsibility, to safeguard public health and ensure compliance with sanitation standards, it added. | CGC
