To ensure the safety and high quality of drinking water, the Quezon City Government has opened its water testing laboratory.
The Quezon City Water Testing Laboratory, which will be managed by the city’s Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Committee, is located on the 2nd floor of the Quezon City Health Department building within the Quezon City Hall compound.
“This initiative reflects the city’s commitment to providing clean and safe drinking water to all residents. We are taking proactive steps to protect our communities from diseases related to poor water quality,” said Mayor Joy Belmonte upon the opening of the laboratory.
The mayor emphasized that access to clean and safe water is fundamental to public health and safety.
The establishment of the water testing laboratory was a response to the 2023 report by the Quezon City Health Department (QCHD) that placed acute gastroenteritis as the 32nd leading cause of death in the city. Acute gastroenteritis causes inflammation or infection of the stomach and intestines due to viruses, bacteria, or parasites in contaminated water.
In response, the Quezon City Council enacted Ordinance SP-3346 S-2024, which mandated the regular monitoring and testing of water sources across Quezon City.
The Quezon City Water Laboratory will serve as a testing site in conducting regular microbiological examinations of drinking water from all 382 Regular Sampling Sites (RSPs) in the city. These points represent households served by the water concessionaires, Maynilad and Manila Water.
The laboratory will also initially test water from all refilling stations and ice plants operating within Quezon City’s jurisdiction, to ensure compliance with water safety and quality standards established by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water 2017.
This initiative is part of the local government unit’s strategy to establish its own laboratories. The city government is looking to enhance its capacity to manage water safety once the Quezon City Water Laboratory becomes fully functional.
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