MIWD consumers ‘at risk’ – COA

By: Gerome Dalipe

THE quality of water provided by Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) to its concessionaires may be at risk.

That’s because the MIWD has yet to finish its water safety plan (WSP), the Commission on Audit (COA) discovered.

“WSP is vital as a national policy for drinking-water quality management to address the threats to water safety that may be brought about by climate change, human activities and natural and man-made calamities,” according to a 2018 COA audit report.

Pursuant to the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) Memorandum Circular 010-14 dated Dec. 1, 2014, the Department of Health mandates all water-service providers to develop water safety plans.

This means that the water providers should adopt the 11-step process set by the World Health in developing their water safety plan.

Upon inquiry, MIWD admitted that its water safety plan was incomplete as of December 31, 2018, due to “lack of attention given for its compliance.”

The MIWD and its bulk water supply partner, the Metro Iloilo Bulk Water Supply Corporation (MIBWSC), agreed to develop the safety water plan.

But MIWD informed the auditors last June 17, 2019, that its water safety plan was still at the development stage.

The initial stage include risk assessment and control measures on operational monitoring and actions to be able to respond to water system challenges promptly.

This is to ensure safe and quality water in conformity with the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water.

While it intends to finish its water the safety plan, the MIWD said decided to wait for the start of the new joint venture with the bulk water supplier last July 1, 2019.

In the report, auditors said the water safety plan is considered as a cost-effective, management-oriented, a preventive approach to drinking-water safety.

It is also one of key recommendation in the WHO Guidelines for drinking-water quality, effective, management oriented, and preventive approach to drinking-water safety.

“It is a management tool that can be applied in all types of water systems to ensure the safe quality of water supply,” the auditors said.

“It uses a comprehensive risk assessment and management approach encompassing all steps in water supply from the water source to consumers.”

The traditional approach to monitoring water quality at the tap is proven ineffective because notification comes too late whenever there is contamination, the auditors said.

Consumers have already consumed the water before action was made.

Thus, water safety plan can address such a gap by ensuring that notification will come on time while addressing the risks by appropriate control measures.

“Water safety plan objectives are to prevent or minimize contamination of water source, remove contamination through treatment and prevent re-contamination during storage, distribution, and handling of water,” the auditors said.

While MIWD’s water quality passed the bacteriological and chemical examinations and no significant contamination of water supply and the outbreak of waterborne diseases were reported in its coverage area, the absence of a safe water plan would make concessionaires at risk.

In the report, the auditors also recommended to MIWD to ensure consistent safety of water to its concessionaires.

The state-run water supplier is also urged to complete the development of its water safety plan pursuant to the guidelines set by the LWUA to improve the management of water safety.