Resolving Our Fears About the Water Quality in Bohol

I had worries about the safety of our water systems in the province. They confirmed my fears when I heard the research-based presentation during the last week’s Capitol Reports.

The real score on water safety

The bacteriological quality status of 707 water refilling stations in the province revealed that on average based on the current months of August, September and October, only 63 percent of the refilling stations have potable water, while 8 percent of them have non-potable water.

The quality management view

Let us look at this concern using the perspective of one of the leading gurus of quality management: Philip Crosby. According to Crosby, companies should strive for zero defects. The ideal of having no defects is achieved through this philosophy.

Literally, zero defects are not technically achievable. But water companies should strive for perfection. We can realize this if all water refilling stations reduce non-potable outputs to only 3.4 per million operations.

Perfection may not be attainable. Yet the quest requires for the highest level of improvement acceptable under the strictest metrics, such as the 3.4 non-compliance per million standards.

The 8 percent non-potable water among water refillers shows a long gap compared to the 0.00034 percent standard based on Crosby’s quality philosophy. Many residents in the province are prone to enteric illnesses due to the deviation from the standard. Therefore, 8 percent of non-compliance is not good enough if health and safety are at stake. Just as the medical profession does not tolerate one dead patient per hundred because of wrong medication, our province cannot take in this number of non-potable water refilling services.

How safe is our tap water?

I used to believe our water from the faucet is still safe because many are still using it. But I might be wrong.

During the Capitol Reports, some members of the Bohol media asked about the safety of the tap water from the Bohol Water Corporation. The representative from the province would need more information. He said there should be a test for the chemical composition of the sediments. The reporter asked if an expert could test the chemistry of the water.

Some think that the cause of many cases of kidney diseases in the province is the source of water. No one can dismiss this easily.

There is a high probability. The test might confirm what we think.

For this reason, an ordinance was proposed to strengthen the compliance of drinking water service providers in Bohol through standards on drinking water, such as but not limited to the Sanitation Code of the Philippines (P.D. 856) and the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW).

The ordinance aims to: 1) implement a comprehensive management program on water planning; 2) make compliance with this ordinance a requirement in securing a business permit with the respective LGU; and 3) reinforce strict compliance with penalties for violations.

P.D. 856 and Standards for Drinking Water

The proposed ordinance is based on the presidential decree and administrative order. The code on sanitation (P.D. 856) prescribes standards and procedures for bacteriological and chemical examinations. Water companies are required to have an initial and periodic examination. Upon opening its business, a water company should pass the examination. Then a company should have a bacteriological exam every six to ten months and a chemical exam every 12 months.

The Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW), based on the 1958 World Health Organization International Standard for Drinking Water, aims to prescribe the standards and procedures for drinking water quality to protect public health.

Way to go

The idea of proposing the ordinance mentioned will eliminate fly-by-night and substandard drinking water service providers. This can give us sustainable management of water resources and access to safe water.

Governor Aris Aumentado wants a better system to maintain the quality of water in the province.

May we all resolve our fears of kidney problems and bacterial diseases by the coming ordinance. We cannot be complacent when the silent killer is on the loose.