The city government has begun implementing more stringent measures to ensure the safety of water in the city and avoid a repeat of the diarrhea outbreak which was traced to contaminated water from private deep wells and bulk water delivery companies.
“We are making our policies more stringent not to curtail these businesses but to level up their safety standards as part of our commitment to ensuring the quality and safety of drinking water in our city. I am sure this will not only benefit the public but their own sector as well,” the mayor said.
The measures include the regular conduct of random testing of water delivery businesses including delivery trucks.
Those found positive for microorganisms were immediately shut down and allowed to operate only upon implementation of corrective measures and obtaining negative test results from succeeding tests.
The mayor on Jan. 30 issued Memorandum 20-2024 directing the newly created Local Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Task Force to submit an inventory report on water delivery trucks including an assessment of their compliance with water quality measures and recommendations for improvement or corrective actions.
Profiling, inspection, and monitoring of deep wells are also continuing to assess and ensure their compliance with health standards.
The Sanitation Division of the City Health Services Office issued a sanitation order requiring all water delivery companies to maintain ledgers for their customers and to provide proper personal protection equipment and uniforms to their employees.
All water delivery firms that have no business permits will be issued notices of violation while legitimate ones who will draw water from colorum sources will also be penalized through the cancellation of their permits.
Efforts had also been started to improve the water regulation section of the City Environment Code and adopt a Safe Water Ordinance in coordination with city council committee on health and sanitation chair Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
