Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
--------------------·------------
HOUSE BILL No. __ _ 
Introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO "ERNIX" M. DIONISIO, JR. 
--------------------
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 
According to UNICEF, 3 in 10 people worldwide or equivalent to 2.1 billion do 
not have safe drinking water at their houses and 6 in 1 O or 4.4 billion people lack safely 
managed sanitation. Worldwide, out of the 2.1 billion people, 844 million people do not 
have basic drinking water service 1. 
In the Philippines, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) stated that residents 
in rural areas are more likely to have an unimproved source of drinking water than 
those in urban areas and almost four out of every five families or 77% do not practice 
any method or treatment of sterilizing the water for drinking2• 
There are a lot of risks involved if people do not have access to safe and clean 
drinking water. One of these is the risk of contracting diseases. Clean drinking water 
is one of the basic needs for the survival of a person. In reality, not everyone has 
access to safe drinking water or not everyone can afford to purchase sterilized drinking 
water. 
The Department of Health stated that most cases of food poisoning and water-
borne diseases in the Philippines are caused by unsafe sources of drinking water. 
1 Two billion people lack safe drinking water, more than twice lack safe sanitation at 
https://www.unicef.org/philippines/press-releases/two-billion-people-lack-safe-drinking-water-more-
twice-lack-safe-sanitation (last accessed September 14, 2022). 
2 Most Filipino Families have Access to Improved Source of Drinking Water at 
https://psa.gov.ph/content/most-filipino-families-have-access-improved-source-drinking-water-results-
201 7-annual (last accessed September 14, 2022). 
September 27, 2022
11:25 am
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Lack of clean drinking water is caused by poor infrastructure, poor investment and 
poor planning3• 
Provided that safe drinking water is a basic human necessity, it is the duty of 
the State to ensure that every Filipino has access to safe drinking water. This bill seeks 
to make the physical, bacteriological, chemical and overall examination of water 
quality every two months mandatory. The Department of Health is the assigned 
governing body to check the results of these examinations and to impose appropriate 
action and to inform consumers about the quality of the drinking water that they 
consume. Further, all water service providers must prepare a water safety plan and 
have it approved by the DOH. 
Given that safe drinking water is a basic human right and everyone shall have 
access to it, the immediate passage of this bill is necessary. 
~--0 
"ERNll<" M. D10 IS10, JR 
7N~tant Majority Floor Leader 
Congressman 
First Congressional District of Manila 
3 WHO-Unicef report: Nearly half of Filipinos get safe drinking water at 
htlps://newsinfo.inquirer.neU1456912/who-unicef-report-nearly-half-of-filipinos-gel-safe-drinkinq-water 
(last accessed September 14, 2022). 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. __ 
_ 
______________ , _____ 
, ______________ 
, ______ _ 
Introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO "ERNIX" M. DIONISIO, JR. 
--------------------------------------------·-----
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 Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Safe Drinking Water 
Act." 
Section 2. Section 11 of Presidential Decree No. 856 is hereby amended to 
read as follows: 
Section 11. Types of Water Examinations Required 
The following examinations are required for drinking water: 
(a) Initial examination. The physical, chemical and bacteriological 
examinations of water from newly constructed systems or sources are 
required before they are operated and opened for public use. 
Examination of water for possible radio-active contamination should also 
be done initially. 
(b) Periodic examination. Water from existing sources is subject 
to PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, bacteriological AND OVER-ALL QUALITY 
examination as often as possible but the interval shall not be longer than 
[six] TWO (2) months, [while general systematic chemical examination 
shall be conducted every 12 months or oftener. Examination of water 
sources 
shall 
be 
conducted 
yearly 
for 
possible 
radioactive 
contamination,] 
UNLESS 
OTHERWISE 
REQUIRED 
BY 
THE 
5187


DEPARTMENT 
THROUGH 
APPROPRIATE 
REGULATIONS; 
PROVIDED, THAT NOTHING HEREIN SHALL RESTRICT THE 
DEPARTMENT FROM CONDUCTING RANDOM WATER QUALITY 
EXAMINATION AS OFTEN AS IT MAY DEEM NECESSARY AND 
PROPER. 
Section 3. New Section 11-A and Section 11-B of Presidential Decree No. 856 
are hereby inserted to read as follows: 
SECTION 11-A. PERMITS REQUIRED 
DRINKING 
WATER 
SERVICE 
PROVIDERS, 
WATER 
LABORATORIES, AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS WITH DRINKING 
WATER SYSTEMS CATERING 
TO 
THE 
PUBLIC 
SHALL 
BE 
REGISTERED WITH THE DEPARTMENT. FOR THIS PURPOSE, THE 
FOLLOWING 
PERMITS 
SHALL 
BE 
SECURED 
FROM 
THE 
DEPARTMENT OR LOCAL HEAL TH AUTHORITIES, AS THE CASE 
MAYBE: 
a) CERTIFICATE OF POTABILITY OF DRINKING WATER TO 
BE OBTAINED BY DRINKING WATER SERVICE PROVIDERS; 
b) CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION TO BE OBTAINED BY 
ALL WATER LABORATORIES AND TRAINING INSTITUTIONS THAT 
SHALL 
PARTICIPATE 
IN 
THE 
DRINKING 
WATER 
SAFETY 
PROGRAM; 
c) CERTIFICATE OF PRODUCT REGISTRATION OF WATER 
SUPPLY 
MATERIALS, 
APPURTENANCES, 
TREATMENT 
TECHNOLOGIES OR DEVICES TO BE OBTAINED BY ALL ENTITIES 
ENGAGED IN THE PROVISION OF DRINKING WATER SUPPLY TO 
THE PUBLIC; 
d} CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY TO BE OBTAINED BY ALL 
INDIVIDUALS 
WHO 
WILL 
CONDUCT 
CAPACITY 
BUILDING 
ACTIVITIES ON WATER QUALITY ANALYSIS, WATER QUALITY 
TREATMENT, 
WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND WATER 
SAFETY PLANNING FROM THE DEPARTMENT; 
e) CERTIFICATE OF WATER SAFETY PLAN ACCEPTANCE; 
f) DRINKING WATER SITE CLEARANCE TO BE OBTAINED BY 
ALL PERSONS OR ENTITIES INTENDING TO DEVELOP A DRINKING 
WATER SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION; PROVIDED, THAT 
NO DRINKING WATER SYSTEM SHALL BE INSTALLED AND 
OPERATED WITHOUT SUCH CLEARANCE; 
g) OPERATIONAL PERMIT, WHICH MUST BE OBTAINED 
BEFORE USING A DRINKING WATER SYSTEM; AND 


h) SANITARY CLEARANCE FOR ALL WATER DELIVERY 
VEHICLES, MOBILE WATER TANKERS AND SIMILAR VEHICLES, 
INCLUDING ITS APPURTENANCES. 
COVERED ESTABLISHMENTS SHALL ALSO REGISTER 
PORTABLE WATER TEST KITS AND WATER TREATMENT 
TECHNOLOGY OR DEVICES WITH THE DEPARTMENT. 
SECTION 11-8. WATER SAFETY PLAN 
WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR FROM THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS 
ACT, ALL DRINKING WATER SERVICE PROVIDERS SHALL 
DEVELOP WATER SAFETY PLANS FOR THEIR WATER SUPPLY 
SYSTEMS, AND ENSURE ITS IMPLEMENTATION AFTER ITS 
APPROVAL. AN APPROVED WATER SAFETY PLAN SHALL BE 
VALID FOR THREE (3) YEARS, UNLESS SUSPENDED OR SOONER 
REVOKED BY THE DEPARTMENT. 
FOR THIS PURPOSE, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP 
TOOLS, STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR WATER SAFETY 
PLAN PROCESSES AND SUPPORT SERVICES. 
Section 4. Section 12 of Presidential Decree No. 856 is hereby amended to 
read as follows: 
Section 12. Examining Laboratories and Submission of 
Water Samples 
The examination of drinking water shall be performed only in 
private or government laboratories duly accredited by the Department. 
THE 
DEPARTMENT 
SHALL 
PRESCRIBE 
APPROPRIATE 
GUIDELINES WITH RESPECT TO THE CONDUCT, MANNER, AND 
MEASURES REQUIRED FOR THE EXAMINATION OF DRINKING 
WATER QUALITY. 
It is the responsibility of operators of water systems to 
submit to accredited laboratories water samples for examination in a 
manner and at such intervals prescribed UNDER SECTION 11 OF 
THIS ACT OR by the Department THROUGH APPROPRIATE 
REGULATIONS. 
THE 
RESULTS 
OF SUCH 
MONITORING 
SHALL 
BE 
SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR APPROPRIATE ACTION, 
AND TO THE CONSUMERS CONCERNED. THE SAME SHALL 
ALSO BE POSTED CONSPICUOUSLY IN THE ESTABLISHMENT. IN 
THE EVENT THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT FAILS TO COMPLY WITH 
AN APPLICABLE MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL, OR FAILS TO 
COMPLY WITH THE TREATMENT TECHNIQUE REQUIRED BY THE 
DEPARTMENT, OR FAILS TO PERFORM SUCH MONITORING, THE 
DEPARTMENT SHALL 
BE 
AUTHORIZED TO ORDER THE 


IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OR TAKE OTHER STEPS AS 
MAY BE 
NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF DRINKING WATER. 
THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMPTLY NOTIFY THE 
PUBLIC OF SUCH OCCURRENCE, AT THE EXPENSE OF THE 
CONCERNED ESTABLISHMENT. THE NOTICE SHALL CONSIST 
OF, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING: 
a) NATURE OF THE VIOLATION; 
b) CONTAMINANT LEVEL OF WATER SUPPLY; 
c) POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS TO THE POPULATION; 
d) POPULATION AT RISK; 
e) STEPS BEING TAKEN TO CORRECT VIOLATION; 
f) TELEPHONE NUMBER OR CONTACT NUMBER OF THE 
OWNER, OPERATOR OR DESIGNEE OF THE PUBLIC WATER 
SYSTEM; 
g) 
NECESSITY 
OF 
SEEKING 
ALTERNATIVE 
WATER 
SUPPLIES; AND 
h) PREVENTIVE MEASURES THAT SHALL BE TAKEN BY 
CONSUMERS UNTIL THE VIOLATION IS CORRECTED. 
Section 5. A new Section 12-A is hereby inserted to read as follows: 
SECTION 12-A. CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT 
A DRINKING WATER SERVICE PROVIDER SHALL FURNISH 
ITS CUSTOMERS AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE QUALITY OF THE 
DRINKING WATER IT PROVIDES AND THE CONTAMINANTS, IF 
ANY, FOUND THEREIN. 
THE ANNUAL REPORT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE 
LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING: 
a) INFORMATION ON THE SOURCE OF THE WATER 
DISTRIBUTED; 
b) ENUMERATION OF PRIMARY PARAMETERS INDICATED 
BY THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR DRINKING 
WATER (PNSDW); 
c) MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL INDICATED BY PNSDW; 
d) CURRENT TREATMENT TECHNIQUES UTILIZED BY THE 
DRINKING WATER SERVICE PROVIDER; 
e) MONITORING PROCEDURES UTILIZED BY THE DRINKING 
WATER SERVICE PROVIDER; 
f) LEVEL OF CONTAMINANT IN THE WATER SYSTEM WITHIN 
THE YEAR; 
g) ANY CONTAMINANT FOR WHICH THERE HAS BEEN A 
VIOLATION OF THE MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL 
DURING 
THE 
YEAR 
CONCERNED, 
AND 
A 
BRIEF 
STATEMENT 
IN 
PLAIN 
LANGUAGE 
REGARDING 
THE 


HEAL TH CONCERNS THAT RESULTED IN THE REGULATION 
OF 
THE 
CONTAMINANT, 
AS 
PROVIDED 
BY 
THE 
DEPARTMENT; 
h) INFORMATION ON THE LEVELS OF UNREGULATED 
CONTAMINANTS IDENTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT; 
i) A STATEMENT THAT THE PRESENCE OF CONTAMINANTS 
IN THE DRINKING WATER DOES NOT NECESSARILY 
INDICATE THAT THE DRINKING WATER POSES A HEAL TH 
RISK 
AND 
THAT 
MORE 
INFORMATION 
ABOUT 
CONTAMINANTS AND POTENTIAL HEAL TH EFFECTS CAN 
BE OBTAINED BY CALLING THE DEPARTMENT; 
j) 
MEASURES 
THAT 
MAY 
BE 
ADOPTED 
BY 
THE 
CONSUMERS TO KEEP THEIR WATER SUPPLY FREE FROM 
CONTAMINATION; AND 
k) SUCH OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS THE 
DEPARTMENT 
DEEMS 
APPROPRIATE 
FOR 
PUBLIC 
EDUCATION. THE ANNUAL REPORT SHALL BE PROVIDED 
TO CONSUMERS EVERY TWELVE (12) MONTHS THROUGH 
ELECTRONIC MEDIA, HAND DELIVERY, POSTING, OR 
OTHER METHODS APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT. 
Section 6. Penalties. - A water service provider that fails to comply with the 
provisions of this Act shall be liable for a fine of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00) 
for every day of a continuing violation, without prejudice to any other penalties that 
may be imposed, in accordance with other relevant laws, rules and regulations. 
Section 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to effectively carry out the 
provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
Section 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health, in consultation with the 
necessary stakeholders and relevant government agencies, shall promulgate the 
necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
Section 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, ordinances, rules 
and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly. 
Section 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of the Act shall not be affected by such 
declaration. 
Section 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the 
date of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
Approved,