FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 
$Dy 12 1' ,~ 
: ' 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article XVI, Section 9, provides: 
The State shall protect consumers from trade malpractices and from 
substandard or hazardous products. 
Consumption of bottled water has increased markedly in recent years, with thousands of 
households currently consuming bottled drinking water as their source of drinking water. 
Consumers are paying premium prices for bottled water based on the assumption that it is 
of superior quality of their tap water. Unfortunately, bottled water sold in the country is left 
unregulated. This certainly is a cause for concern, as there exists a possibility that the bottled 
water sold in the market is not of superior quality as claimed. Hence, this bill seeks to establish 
quality standards for mineral and carbonated water." 
* This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 
:fly 12 /)1 : 
First Regular Session 
) 
S. No. sENEf59 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING QUALITY STANDARDS FOR MINERAL AND CARBONATED WATER 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Safe Bottled Water Act of 
2007.” 
SECTION 2. Definitions. -For the purposes of this Act, the term: 
(A) “Director” means the Director of the Bureau of Foods and Drugs. 
(B) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Department of Health. 
SECTION 3. National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for Bottled Water.- 
(A) Primary Drinking Water Regulations. - When the Director promulgates interim of 
revised national primary drinking water regulations concerning maximum contaminant levels, 
such regulations shall be applicable to all bottled drinking waters, including mineral, spring, 
natural, sparkling water, and vended water. Not later than twelve (12) months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish quality standards and definitions for mineral 
water and carbonated water which include- 
(1) Limits for total dissolved solid, sodium, and trihalomethane content; 
(2) The Secretary shall insure that standards for mineral water and carbonated 
beverages meet all established health-based drinking water standards. 
(B) Source Protection. -Not later than twelve (12) months after the date of promulgation 
of this Act, the Director shall- 
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(1) Define “approved sources” of bottled water; 
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(2) Establish criteria to determine the adequacy as well as the protection of 
“approved sources” of bottled water including but not limited to- 
(a) Minimum well construction standards; 
(b) Minimum distance separation from upstream wastewater discharges; 
(c) Minimum distance separations from abandoned wells, septic tanks, 
waste impoundments, and landfills. 
(C) Monitoring, Reporting and Inspection. -Not later than twelve (12) months after the 
date of enactment of this Section, the Director shall- 
(1) Establish a bottled water monitoring program which at minimum- 
(a) Is as stringent as that used for public water supplies and provides for 
yearly testing and monitoring for unregulated contaminants for which public 
water utilities must test; and 
(b) Requires that any analyses or testing be performed in an approved and 
certified laboratory. 
(2) Establish a bottled water reporting program that includes- 
(a) Time tables and procedures for timely reporting; 
(b) Provide public notification procedures should a bottled water be found 
to be exceeding health-based standards; 
(3) Establish a national registry of bottled water facilities and their most current 
reporting information; 
(4) Require that records of sampling and analysis be maintained at the plant for 
not less than two years and shall be available for official review upon request; and 
(5) Establish a bottled water facility inspection program which includes at a 
minimum two (2) scheduled inspections a year and one (1) unscheduled inspection a 
year. 
(D) Recall Regulations. - Not later than six (6) months after the date of promulgation of 
this section, the Director shall- 
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(1) Establish procedures and public notification guidelines for recall of a bottled 
water product if exceeding any health-based standards. 
(2) Require each bottled to develop and submit individual recall notification and 
recall procedures. 
(E) Prohibition on Dual Use of Bottled Water Equipment. - Not later than twelve (12) 
months after the date of enactment of this section the Director shall prohibit the processing and 
bottling of non-carbonated water with equipment used to process milk, fruit juice, or other food 
products likely to contribute nutrients for microbiological growth. 
(F) BottZing, Packaging, and Storage Study. - The Director shall conduct a 
comprehensive study of contaminants and the extent to which they contribute to the degradation 
of bottled water from the unique processing and storage of bottled water. The Director shall pay 
particular attention to contamination problems which may arise from the bottling, packaging, or 
storage of bottled water. 
SECTION 4. Labeling. - Not later than six (6) months after the date of promulgation of 
this section the Secretary shall- 
(A) Establish and enforce clear, concise, and encoded uniform source labeling 
requirements for all bottled water products which at a minimum includes- 
(1) The original source of the water; 
(2) Type of water; 
(3) Type of treatment, if any; 
(4) The date of bottling; 
(5) The address of the bottlers; and 
(6) Provide numerical specifications of sodium content. 
(B) Define mineral water, spring water, naturally carbonated, naturally sparkling, well 
water, natural well water, artesian water, natural artesian water, purified water, distilled water, 
drinking water, and require that the definition for the appropriate product be placed on the bottle. 
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SECTION 5. Authorization of Funding. - There are hereby authorized to be appropriated 
to the Department of Health and Bureau of Food and Drugs, such sums as may be necessary to 
carry out the purposes of this Act. 
SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the reminder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rnle or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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