1
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ___ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT  
ENSURING SAFE DRINKING WATER,  
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 856, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CODE ON SANITATION OF THE 
PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines is blessed with copious amount of water with a total 
annual renewable water resources of 479 billion cubic meters (m3) from 
its surface water and groundwater sources. This translates into an annual 
per capita availability of about 6,100 m3, which is twice that of the rest of 
Asia, and six times the global scarcity threshold of 1,000 m3 .1  
Ironically, however, as of 2017, around 8.5 million Filipinos still have 
no access to clean drinking water, and have to rely on unimproved, unsafe 
and unsustainable water sources, according to the National Water 
Resource Board.  
Aside from access to clean water, water contamination remains a 
pressing issue, with heavy inorganic pollutants present in drinking water 
sources.  According to environmental organization Greenpeace, five out 
of 18 artesian wells in Benguet and Bulacan were found to contain nitrate 
1 Philippines: Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Assessment, Strategy, and Road Map. Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Asian 
Development Bank, 2013. 
November 7, 2022
8:05 am
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levels well above the safety limit set by the World Health Organization.2 
Inorganic contaminants such as nitrate may cause serious health 
problems to the population, and may even lead to death.3 For example, in 
2011, 11 people from Barangay Valencia, Cebu died due to typhoid fever 
after drinking water from unsafe water sources.4 
 
Thus, prolonged inaction on this issue may lead to a rise in 
foodborne and waterborne diseases. According to Elizabeth Dowdeswell, 
the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program, “an 
estimated one-half of people in developing countries are suffering from 
diseases caused either directly by infection through the consumption of 
contaminated water or food, or indirectly by disease-carrying organisms 
such as mosquitoes, that breed in water.”5 In the case of the Philippines, 
50% of typhoid cases are due to water pollution, sanitation conditions and 
hygiene practices. In fact, from January to April 2018 alone, the 
Department of Health recorded 5,455 cases of typhoid fever that resulted 
in 10 reported cases of death.6 
 
Given this, it is imperative that the State play an active role in 
ensuring all Filipinos have safe and potable drinking water by 
implementing a comprehensive management program on water safety 
planning, including water quality surveillance, adoption of risk 
management strategies for the protection of water supply systems, and 
the use of appropriate tools and instruments to properly monitor and 
enforce quality drinking water standards. This bill seeks to amend the 
existing provisions of the Sanitation Code of the Philippines on water 
supply.  Among others, it requires the physical, bacteriological and 
general systematic chemical and over-all examination of water quality 
every two months. The result of such testing must be submitted to the 
Department of Health (DOH) for appropriate action and to the consumers 
so that they will be properly apprised of the quality of the water they are 
consuming.  
 
This bill also requires all water service providers to prepare a water 
safety plan, and submit the same to the DOH for approval. They shall also 
furnish their customers an annual consumer confidence report which must 
include information regarding their current treatment techniques, 
 
2 2018, March 8. When water causes diseases and deaths. Retrieved from: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2018/03/08/when-
water-causes-diseases-and-deaths/ (date last accessed: July 9, 2019). 
3 Id. 
4 Id. 
5 Id.  
6 Food and Waterborne Diseases Monthly Surveillance Report No. 4. Department of Health. January to April 2018. Retrieved 
from: 
https://www.doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/statistics/2018%20Food%20and%20Water%20Borne%20Diseases%20Morbidity%20
Week%201-21.pdf (date last accessed: July 11, 2019).   


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monitoring procedures, and level of contaminants in the water system, 
among others. 
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 


4
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ____ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT  
ENSURING SAFE DRINKING WATER,  
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 856, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CODE ON SANITATION OF THE 
PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
1 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
2 
3 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Safe 
4 
Drinking Water Act." 
5 
6 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State shall pursue a policy 
7 
of ensuring the health of the Filipino people through the provision of safe 
8 
drinking water. Towards this end, the State shall promote the use of 
9 
appropriate tools and instruments and control mechanisms and adopt risk 
10 
management strategies for the protection of the entire water supply 
11 
system against contamination that will adversely affect human health. 
12 
The State shall also implement a comprehensive management program 
13 
on water safety planning including water quality surveillance that ensures 
14 
the safety of drinking water in all settings and ensure compliance with 
15 
national standards for drinking water and other environmental laws 
16 
affecting drinking water quality. 
17 
18 
SEC. 3. Section 11 of Presidential Decree No. 856 is hereby 
19 
amended to read as follows:  
20 
21 
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Section 11. Types of Water Examinations Required 
1 
 
2 
The following examinations are required for drinking water: 
3 
 
4 
(a) Initial examination. The physical, chemical and bacteriological 
5 
examinations of water from newly constructed systems or 
6 
sources are required before they are operated and opened for 
7 
public use. Examination of water for possible radio-active 
8 
contamination should also be done initially. 
9 
 
10 
(b) Periodic examination. Water from existing sources is subject 
11 
to PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, bacteriological AND OVER-ALL 
12 
QUALITY examination as often as possible but the interval shall 
13 
not be longer than [six] TWO (2) months, [while general 
14 
systematic chemical examination shall be conducted every 12 
15 
months or oftener. Examination of water sources shall be 
16 
conducted yearly for possible radioactive contamination,] 
17 
UNLESS OTHERWISE REQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT 
18 
THROUGH 
APPROPRIATE 
REGULATIONS; 
PROVIDED, 
19 
THAT 
NOTHING 
HEREIN 
SHALL 
RESTRICT 
THE 
20 
DEPARTMENT FROM CONDUCTING RANDOM WATER 
21 
QUALITY EXAMINATION AS OFTEN AS IT MAY DEEM 
22 
NECESSARY AND PROPER.  
23 
 
24 
SEC. 4. New Section 11-A and Section 11-B of Presidential Decree 
25 
No. 856 are hereby inserted to read as follows:  
26 
 
27 
SECTION 11-A. PERMITS REQUIRED 
28 
 
29 
DRINKING 
WATER 
SERVICE 
PROVIDERS, 
WATER 
30 
LABORATORIES, AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS WITH 
31 
DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS CATERING TO THE PUBLIC 
32 
SHALL BE REGISTERED WITH THE DEPARTMENT.  FOR 
33 
THIS PURPOSE, THE FOLLOWING PERMITS SHALL BE 
34 
SECURED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OR LOCAL HEALTH 
35 
AUTHORITIES, AS THE CASE MAY BE:  
36 
 
37 
a) 
CERTIFICATE OF POTABILITY OF DRINKING WATER TO 
38 
BE 
OBTAINED 
BY 
DRINKING 
WATER 
SERVICE 
39 
PROVIDERS;  
40 
 
41 
b) 
CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION TO BE OBTAINED 
42 
BY ALL WATER LABORATORIES AND TRAINING 
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6
INSTITUTIONS THAT SHALL PARTICIPATE IN THE 
1 
DRINKING WATER SAFETY PROGRAM; 
2 
 
3 
c) 
CERTIFICATE 
OF 
PRODUCT 
REGISTRATION 
OF 
4 
WATER 
SUPPLY 
MATERIALS, 
APPURTENANCES, 
5 
TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES OR DEVICES TO BE 
6 
OBTAINED BY ALL ENTITIES ENGAGED IN THE 
7 
PROVISION OF DRINKING WATER SUPPLY TO THE 
8 
PUBLIC; 
9 
 
10 
d) 
CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY TO BE OBTAINED BY 
11 
ALL INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL CONDUCT CAPACITY 
12 
BUILDING ACTIVITIES ON WATER QUALITY ANALYSIS, 
13 
WATER QUALITY TREATMENT, WATER QUALITY 
14 
MONITORING AND WATER SAFETY PLANNING FROM 
15 
THE DEPARTMENT; 
16 
 
17 
e) 
CERTIFICATE OF WATER SAFETY PLAN ACCEPTANCE;  
18 
 
19 
f) 
DRINKING WATER SITE CLEARANCE TO BE OBTAINED 
20 
BY ALL PERSONS OR ENTITIES INTENDING TO 
21 
DEVELOP A DRINKING WATER SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC 
22 
CONSUMPTION; PROVIDED, THAT NO DRINKING 
23 
WATER 
SYSTEM 
SHALL 
BE 
INSTALLED 
AND 
24 
OPERATED WITHOUT SUCH CLEARANCE; 
25 
 
26 
g) 
OPERATIONAL PERMIT, WHICH MUST BE OBTAINED 
27 
BEFORE USING A DRINKING WATER SYSTEM; AND 
28 
 
29 
h) 
SANITARY CLEARANCE FOR ALL WATER DELIVERY 
30 
VEHICLES, MOBILE WATER TANKERS AND SIMILAR 
31 
VEHICLES, INCLUDING ITS APPURTENANCES. 
32 
 
33 
COVERED ESTABLISHMENTS SHALL ALSO REGISTER 
34 
PORTABLE WATER TEST KITS AND WATER TREATMENT 
35 
TECHNOLOGY OR DEVICES WITH THE DEPARTMENT.  
36 
 
37 
SECTION 11-B. WATER SAFETY PLAN  
38 
 
39 
WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR FROM THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS 
40 
ACT, ALL DRINKING WATER SERVICE PROVIDERS SHALL 
41 
DEVELOP WATER SAFETY PLANS FOR THEIR WATER 
42 
SUPPLY SYSTEMS, AND ENSURE ITS IMPLEMENTATION 
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7
AFTER ITS APPROVAL. AN APPROVED WATER SAFETY 
1 
PLAN SHALL BE VALID FOR THREE (3) YEARS, UNLESS 
2 
SUSPENDED 
OR 
SOONER 
REVOKED 
BY 
THE 
3 
DEPARTMENT. 
4 
 
5 
FOR THIS PURPOSE, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP 
6 
TOOLS, STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR WATER 
7 
SAFETY PLAN PROCESSES AND SUPPORT SERVICES.   
8 
 
9 
SEC. 5. Section 12 of Presidential Decree No. 856 is hereby 
10 
amended to read as follows:  
11 
 
12 
Section 12. Examining Laboratories and Submission of 
13 
Water Samples 
14 
 
15 
The examination of drinking water shall be performed only in 
16 
private or government laboratories duly accredited by the 
17 
Department. 
THE 
DEPARTMENT 
SHALL 
PRESCRIBE 
18 
APPROPRIATE GUIDELINES WITH RESPECT TO THE 
19 
CONDUCT, MANNER, AND MEASURES REQUIRED FOR THE 
20 
EXAMINATION OF DRINKING WATER QUALITY.  
21 
 
22 
It is the responsibility of operators of water systems to submit to 
23 
accredited laboratories water samples for examination in a 
24 
manner and at such intervals prescribed UNDER SECTION 11 
25 
OF 
THIS 
ACT 
OR 
by 
the 
Department 
THROUGH 
26 
APPROPRIATE REGULATIONS. 
27 
 
28 
THE 
RESULTS 
OF 
SUCH 
MONITORING 
SHALL 
BE 
29 
SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR APPROPRIATE 
30 
ACTION, AND TO THE CONSUMERS CONCERNED. THE 
31 
SAME SHALL ALSO BE POSTED CONSPICUOUSLY IN THE 
32 
ESTABLISHMENT. 
33 
 
34 
IN THE EVENT THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT FAILS TO 
35 
COMPLY WITH AN APPLICABLE MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT 
36 
LEVEL, OR FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE TREATMENT 
37 
TECHNIQUE REQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT, OR FAILS 
38 
TO PERFORM SUCH MONITORING, THE DEPARTMENT 
39 
SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO ORDER THE IMMEDIATE 
40 
SUSPENSION 
OF 
THE 
OPERATIONS 
OF 
THE 
41 
ESTABLISHMENT OR TAKE OTHER STEPS AS MAY BE 
42 


 
 
8
NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF DRINKING 
1 
WATER.   
2 
 
3 
THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMPTLY NOTIFY THE PUBLIC 
4 
OF SUCH OCCURRENCE, AT THE EXPENSE OF THE 
5 
CONCERNED 
ESTABLISHMENT. 
THE 
NOTICE 
SHALL 
6 
CONSIST OF, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING: 
7 
 
8 
a) 
NATURE OF THE VIOLATION; 
9 
 
10 
b) 
CONTAMINANT LEVEL OF WATER SUPPLY; 
11 
 
12 
c) 
POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS TO THE POPULATION; 
13 
 
14 
d) 
POPULATION AT RISK; 
15 
 
16 
e) 
STEPS BEING TAKEN TO CORRECT VIOLATION; 
17 
 
18 
f) 
TELEPHONE NUMBER OR CONTACT NUMBER OF THE 
19 
OWNER, OPERATOR OR DESIGNEE OF THE PUBLIC 
20 
WATER SYSTEM; 
21 
 
22 
g) 
NECESSITY 
OF 
SEEKING 
ALTERNATIVE 
WATER 
23 
SUPPLIES; AND 
24 
 
25 
h) 
PREVENTIVE MEASURES THAT SHALL BE TAKEN BY 
26 
CONSUMERS UNTIL THE VIOLATION IS CORRECTED. 
27 
 
28 
SEC. 6. A new Section 12-A is hereby inserted to read as follows:  
29 
 
30 
SECTION 12-A. CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT  
31 
 
32 
A DRINKING WATER SERVICE PROVIDER SHALL FURNISH 
33 
ITS CUSTOMERS AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE QUALITY 
34 
OF THE DRINKING WATER IT PROVIDES AND THE 
35 
CONTAMINANTS, IF ANY, FOUND THEREIN.  
36 
 
37 
THE ANNUAL REPORT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE 
38 
LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING: 
39 
 
40 
a) 
INFORMATION ON THE SOURCE OF THE WATER 
41 
DISTRIBUTED; 
42 
 
43 


 
 
9
b) 
ENUMERATION 
OF 
PRIMARY 
PARAMETERS 
1 
INDICATED 
BY 
THE 
PHILIPPINE 
NATIONAL 
2 
STANDARDS FOR DRINKING WATER (PNSDW); 
3 
 
4 
c) 
MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL INDICATED BY PNSDW; 
5 
 
6 
d) 
CURRENT TREATMENT TECHNIQUES UTILIZED BY 
7 
THE DRINKING WATER SERVICE PROVIDER; 
8 
 
9 
e) 
MONITORING 
PROCEDURES 
UTILIZED 
BY 
THE 
10 
DRINKING WATER SERVICE PROVIDER; 
 
11 
 
12 
f) 
LEVEL OF CONTAMINANT IN THE WATER SYSTEM 
13 
WITHIN THE YEAR;  
14 
 
15 
g) 
ANY CONTAMINANT FOR WHICH THERE HAS BEEN A 
16 
VIOLATION OF THE MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL 
17 
DURING THE YEAR CONCERNED, AND A BRIEF 
18 
STATEMENT IN PLAIN LANGUAGE REGARDING THE 
19 
HEALTH 
CONCERNS 
THAT 
RESULTED 
IN 
THE 
20 
REGULATION OF THE CONTAMINANT, AS PROVIDED 
21 
BY THE DEPARTMENT; 
22 
 
23 
h) 
INFORMATION ON THE LEVELS OF UNREGULATED 
24 
CONTAMINANTS IDENTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT; 
25 
 
26 
i) 
A 
STATEMENT 
THAT 
THE 
PRESENCE 
OF 
27 
CONTAMINANTS IN THE DRINKING WATER DOES NOT 
28 
NECESSARILY INDICATE THAT THE DRINKING WATER 
29 
POSES 
A 
HEALTH 
RISK 
AND 
THAT 
MORE 
30 
INFORMATION 
ABOUT 
CONTAMINANTS 
AND 
31 
POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS CAN BE OBTAINED BY 
32 
CALLING THE DEPARTMENT;  
33 
 
34 
j) 
MEASURES 
THAT 
MAY 
BE 
ADOPTED 
BY 
THE 
35 
CONSUMERS TO KEEP THEIR WATER SUPPLY FREE 
36 
FROM CONTAMINATION; AND 
37 
 
38 
k) 
SUCH OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS THE 
39 
DEPARTMENT DEEMS APPROPRIATE FOR PUBLIC 
40 
EDUCATION. 
41 
 
42 


 
 
10
THE 
ANNUAL 
REPORT 
SHALL 
BE 
PROVIDED 
TO 
1 
CONSUMERS EVERY TWELVE (12) MONTHS THROUGH 
2 
ELECTRONIC MEDIA, HAND DELIVERY, POSTING, OR 
3 
OTHER METHODS APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT. 
4 
 
5 
SEC. 7. Penalties. – A water service provider that fails to comply 
6 
with the provisions of this Act shall be liable for a fine of Fifty Thousand 
7 
Pesos (Php50,000.00) for every day of continuing violation, without 
8 
prejudice to any other penalties that may be imposed, in accordance with 
9 
other relevant laws, rules and regulations.  
10 
 
11 
SEC. 8. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to effectively 
12 
carry out the provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
13 
Appropriations Act. 
14 
 
15 
SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety 
16 
(90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health, in 
17 
consultation with the concerned stakeholders and relevant government 
18 
agencies, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the 
19 
effective implementation of this Act. 
20 
 
21 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, 
22 
ordinances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this 
23 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
24 
 
25 
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is 
26 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of the Act shall not be 
27 
affected by such declaration. 
28 
 
29 
SEC. 12. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
30 
from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) 
31 
newspapers of general circulation. 
32 
 
33 
Approved,
34 


 
 
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1