BAGUIO CITY(PIA) --All water refilling stations in the city are  invited to become memberss  of the Baguio Association of Purified and Mineral Water Refillers, Inc. (BAPMWR) while bulk water supply delivery services are encouraged to organized themselves,  for easy coordination and monitoring.

BAPMWR secretary Janette Orca reported that of the more than 300 water refilling stations operating in the city, there are 245 legitimate, meaning with business permits, and compliant with other requirements. About  109 of these are BAPMWR members.

Atty. Nellie Olairez, BAPMWR president, said that as an organization, the BAPMWR is  a member of the local water monitoring committee, and it does annual monitoring of  its registered water refilling stations, and submits status report to the city government. This way, they can help the city in the monitoring of water quality of the water refilling stations.

The City Health Services Office (CHSO) recently  reported that 12 water refilling stations in the city have  tested positive of total coliform and E-Coli.

Jamie Galian, technical manager of the Microbiology Laboratory of the Department of Science and Technology-Cordillera, said  that based on the  Department of Health  Administrative Order No. 2017-0010 or the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW) of 2017, bacterial analysis of drinking water must be conducted on a monthly basis.

Olairez said they are recommending  mandatory membership to the organization because it will be a big help to the city. “We are 15 members of the board,  and we have our respective territorial jurisdiction,  and we visit those, and  that is the basis of our report. We hope to be of help to the city in the monitoring of water refilling stations,” she said.

Allan Abayao, chief of the Baguio LGU Permits and Licensing division, is also  encouraging the bulk water supply delivery services to organize themselves for easy coordination. Based on record, there are about 39 registered bulk water supply services in the city.   

For administrative actions, the CHSO and the City Legal Office will collaborate in preparing  a safe water ordinance, convene immediately the Local Drinking Water Monitoring Committee,  create  a task force composed  of POSD, PNP, HSO and other private organizations, and coordinate with the National Water Resources Board for possible localization of implementation and regulation. (JDP/MAWC-PIA-CAR)