National Policy Statement on Water Safety Plans
- The Department of Health (DOH) mandates the development and implementation of WSPs by all drinking-water service providers as national policy.
- The policy supports international and local initiatives, including:
- Millennium Development Goals on safe water.
- United Nations recognition of safe water as a human right.
- WHO resolutions promoting WSP establishment and quality control.
- Philippine legal provisions on health and water quality, including the Constitution, Code on Sanitation, Clean Water Act, and Local Water Utilities Administration regulations.
- Philippine National Standards for Drinking-Water encourages water service providers to prepare WSPs.
- The Universal Health Care strategy under the Aquino Administration emphasizing safe water access.
Objectives of the Order
- Require all drinking-water service providers to develop and implement WSPs.
- Increase stakeholder awareness on the WSP approach.
- Develop, adopt, and implement systems and procedures for WSP.
- Strengthen the capacity of providers and partners in WSP development and implementation.
Scope and Coverage
- Applies to all public and private drinking-water service providers managing various water supply systems, including:
- Level III systems: Water districts, rural water associations, LGUs, special zones, cooperatives.
- Level II systems: Rural and barangay water associations, cooperatives.
- Level I systems: Water service cooperatives and other providers.
- Retail water and refilling stations.
- Bulk and mobile water systems.
Key Definitions
- Drinking-water service providers include water districts, rural and barangay associations, concessionaires, cooperatives, and others managing water systems.
- Local Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Committee (LDWQMC): monitors water safety at city/municipal level.
- Water Safety Plan (WSP): a comprehensive risk management process with key elements such as system assessment, risk identification, control measures, monitoring, management procedures, and continual improvement.
- Water supply system types: Bulk, Levels I-III (varying scale and complexity), Mobile, and Retail systems.
General Guidelines
- Drinking-water service providers must develop WSPs within three years and ensure implementation upon approval.
- DOH is responsible for creating standards, systems, and procedures for WSP development and implementation.
- DOH will allocate funds to support the WSP program.
Specific Guidelines
- Advocacy: DOH shall promote WSP through orientation programs, information dissemination, and integration into curricula and lending requirements.
- Partnership: DOH will engage various government agencies, LGUs, NGOs, academic institutions, and industry groups.
- Networking: Establish a national network to facilitate coordination, technical assistance, and resource sharing.
- Capacity Building: Develop training programs and accredit resource centers for WSP experts and trainers.
- Systems and Procedures: DOH will set standards for WSP models, accreditation, certification, monitoring, evaluation, and auditing.
- Research and Development: Ongoing studies to improve risk management and planning.
Institutional Arrangements
- The DOH will lead WSP activities and coordinate with relevant agencies and partners.
Roles and Responsibilities
- DOH: Mandates WSP submissions; develops guidelines; accredits trainers and assessors; reviews and monitors WSPs; promotes research; and assists regional and local offices.
- DOH Regional Offices: Advocate for local ordinances; monitor and assist WSP implementation.
- Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA): Develop guidelines for water districts; provide assistance; review and monitor WSPs.
- Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG): Advocate for WSP institutionalization; coordinate monitoring with LDWQMC.
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR): Enforce water pollution control; provide water quality data; promote ordinances for water protection.
- Department of Science and Technology (DOST): Disseminate technological information for water quality management.
- Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS): Issue guidelines and conduct monitoring for concessionaires.
- National Water Resources Board (NWRB): Regulate and monitor WSPs for providers under its jurisdiction.
- Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA): Direct and monitor WSP implementation for providers in their zones.
- Local Government Units (LGUs): Raise awareness; assist community water operators; establish LDWQMC; enforce sanitation and water safety laws.
- NGOs and Civil Society: Assist LGUs in awareness and advocacy; lobby for local ordinances on water safety and source protection.
- Drinking-water service providers: Comply with this Order and sanitation regulations.
Repealing and Effectivity
- Inconsistent existing orders, rules, and regulations are repealed or amended.
- This Order takes effect immediately upon approval.