Valenzuela to crack whip on water stations

MANILA, Philippines – A Valenzuela City councilor filed last week a proposed ordinance that would impose penalties against operators of local water refilling stations selling unsafe products. 

Councilor Alvin Feliciano, also the president of the Valenzuela barangay league, said the water refilling station ordinance “seeks to protect the health and welfare of consumers” by ensuring the quality of bottled and refilled drinking water being sold to them.

He said he came up with the proposal after following reports that a number of residents have become ill after drinking contaminated water from some refilling stations.

Feliciano recommends that the city health department be the one in charge of water testing and issuance of permits to water refilling stations “to ensure that all water being sold are free of contaminants and microorganisms that could cause gastro-intestinal diseases.”

“Failure to secure the necessary health permit on the part of the operators of water refilling stations would be punishable under the ordinance,” Feliciano said.

He said first time offenders will be fined P5,000; a 30-day suspension of operation in addition to the P5,000 penalty will be imposed on second time violators; third time offenders will face cancellation of their business permit plus the P5,000 fine.

“We must make sure that the water we drink would not cause us illness,” Feliciano said. – Pete Laude