Makati gets strict on water for sale
May 20, 2001 | 12:00am
Water refilling station owners in Makati City have been reminded to have their water tested at the city health department to see if this is fit for human consumption.
Under Ordinance No. 98-032, operators of water refilling stations and water delivery tankers are required to submit water samples every month for testing. This will assure consumers that the water they get is free from contaminants and other pollutants.
The same ordinance also allows the Makati City Health Department to periodically inspect water refilling stations and get water samples for laboratory analysis.
Unfortunately, consumers in other key cities in Metro Manila dont have the same protection. Under the law, water refilling station owners are not required to secure a license to operate (LTO) from the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) unless they sell bottled water in pre-packaged containers. Since they merely fill up empty bottles, its hard to tell exactly what they put in those bottles or where their water comes from.
Most water refilling stations also dont follow the local Sanitation Code (PD 856) or the DOHs Administrative Order No. 39 that requires them to be far from sources of pollution and other contaminants. Instead youll find them in old buildings in highly polluted areas.
Henry Hidell, president and founder of Hidell-Eyster Technical Services Inc. and an adviser to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), lamented the sad state of water refilling stations in the country.
Until the government follows Makatis example, our best defense against contaminated water is to buy bottled water from reliable sources. One easy way to check if the water youre buying is pure is to look for the IBWA seal.
The IBWA is the trade association representing the bottled water industry. Its members follow a strict model code and meet standards set by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In addition, IBWA members must submit to an annual unannounced plant inspection conducted by two independent firms Quality Assurance International and the National Sanitation Foundation.
Under Ordinance No. 98-032, operators of water refilling stations and water delivery tankers are required to submit water samples every month for testing. This will assure consumers that the water they get is free from contaminants and other pollutants.
The same ordinance also allows the Makati City Health Department to periodically inspect water refilling stations and get water samples for laboratory analysis.
Unfortunately, consumers in other key cities in Metro Manila dont have the same protection. Under the law, water refilling station owners are not required to secure a license to operate (LTO) from the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) unless they sell bottled water in pre-packaged containers. Since they merely fill up empty bottles, its hard to tell exactly what they put in those bottles or where their water comes from.
Most water refilling stations also dont follow the local Sanitation Code (PD 856) or the DOHs Administrative Order No. 39 that requires them to be far from sources of pollution and other contaminants. Instead youll find them in old buildings in highly polluted areas.
Henry Hidell, president and founder of Hidell-Eyster Technical Services Inc. and an adviser to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), lamented the sad state of water refilling stations in the country.
Until the government follows Makatis example, our best defense against contaminated water is to buy bottled water from reliable sources. One easy way to check if the water youre buying is pure is to look for the IBWA seal.
The IBWA is the trade association representing the bottled water industry. Its members follow a strict model code and meet standards set by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In addition, IBWA members must submit to an annual unannounced plant inspection conducted by two independent firms Quality Assurance International and the National Sanitation Foundation.
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