Potable water in Metro Manila

Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System-Regulatory Office (MWSS-RO) yesterday said the diarrhea cases in Metro Manila has significantly dropped due to the aggressive expansion of water services to the blighted communities.

Engr. Eduardo Santos, MWSS-RO chief regulator, said the partnership between the government and private sectors has resulted to the improved water services in the metropolis as shown by the records of the Department of Health (DOH) where improved health conditions were significant in areas that piped water were connected.

Santos cited one particular depressed area, the Manggahan Floodway, where piped water was made available and resulted to the reduction of diarrhea cases from 869 in 2001 to only 372 in 2003. There are only 40 cases of diarrhea in the same area in the first quarter of 2004.

The chief regulator said that overall there is a reduction of 31 percent in diarrhea cases for the period of 1997 to 2003 in Metro Manila or 107,272 cases in 1997 to 71,260 in 2003. Whereas, morbidity rate per 1,000 population due to diarrhea was 951 in 2000 and 654 in 2003.

Dr. Gerardo Bayugo, chairman of the Metro Manila Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Committee (MMDWQMC) said the overall reduction of diarrhea incidence in Metro Manila could be attributed to the improvement of water supply, especially through the Tubig Para sa Barangay (TPSB) of the Manila Water Company, Inc. (MWCI) and Bayan Tubig Program of the Manilad Water Services, Inc. (MWSI).

"The daily surveillance of water quality in Metro Manila has significantly helped in the reduction of diarrhea cases by providing early signals as to water quality problems present in a particular area. It gives MWSI and MWCI ample time to undertake immediate corrective measures to prevent spread of contamination," Bayugo said.

The MMDWQMC during its meeting on May 12 had reiterated its pronouncement that the drinking water in the MWSS distribution system was of sanitary quality with adequate residual chlorine.

Based on the committee’s previous monthly report, the average residual chlorine is 0.74 ppm for the East Service area and 1.06 ppin for the West Service Area. The Philippine National Standard for Drinking Water (PNSDW) requires at least 0.2 ppm residual chlorine from the farthest point of the distribution system.

Moreover, physical and chemical characteristics such as pH, color, taste, odor, turbidity, chlorine, iron, hardness, total dissolve solids, sulfate, fluoride, calcium and magnesium weal also analyzed and found to comply with the PNSDW requirements.