MANILA, Philippines — Water supply within its concession areas is safe for domestic consumption even as the new coronavirus continues to spread in the country, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Systems Regulatory Office said Monday.
In a statement, the agency said the water supply maintained in the distribution systems up to the customers’ taps has been disinfected with chlorine as prescribed by the Department of Health.
“Our water is therefore free from bacteria and viruses (including the COVID-19 virus) and is safe for domestic consumption,” MWSS Chief Regulator Patrick Lester Ty said.
The wastewater discharged from sewages and septage treatment plants into receiving bodies of water has also been disinfected with chlorine.
Currently, there is no evidence about the survival of the new coronavirus in drinking water or sewage, the World Health Organization said.
“The COVID-19 virus is an enveloped virus with a fragile outer membrane. Generally, enveloped viruses are less stable in the environment and are more susceptible to oxidants such as chlorine,” WHO said in an interim guidance for water, sanitation, hygiene and waste management for COVID-19 on March 19.
COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when an infected person coughs or exhales. The virus can also be caught by a people when they touch the objects or surfaces where droplets land then touch their eyes, nose or mouth.
The DOH on Sunday reported 343 new COVID-19 cases, marking the country’s largest daily increase in infections. This brought the nation’s total to 1,418.