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 don’t 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, it’s hard to tell exactly what they put in those bottles or where their water comes from.
Most water refilling stations also don’t follow the local Sanitation Code (PD 856) or the DOH’s Administrative Order No. 39 that requires them to be far from sources of pollution and other contaminants. Instead you’ll 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 Makati’s example, our best defense against contaminated water is to buy bottled water from reliable sources. One easy way to check if the water you’re 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.