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WATER TESTING
LABORATORY

Water

u A commodity one cannot live without

u One of the elements of life

u One needs to make sure that the water being delivered in the
communities must be duly accredited as safe and potable.

u Those who are dealing with the determination of safe and potable
water should embrace the concept that water analysis is not for
commercial enterprise but for the assistance and maintenance of safe
and potable quality of water supply

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PERTINENT LAWS & REGULATIONS

ON WATER SUPPLY

PD 856

u Code of Sanitation in the Philippines

u Examination
of drinking water should be performed only in
ACCREDITED WATER TESTING LABS
u Philippine National Drinking Water Standards (AO 2007-
0012)

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THE PHILIPPINE CLEAN WATER ACT

Republic Act No. 9275

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

March 22, 2004

May 6, 2004
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A.O. No. 31 S. 1979

u REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ACCREDITATION OF WATER ANALYSIS LABORATORIES

u “Philippines Standards Methods of Air and Water Analysis”

u January 1978
u Ministry of Human Settlements and Ecology
u “ National Standards for Drinking Water”
u September 1978
u Ministry of Health

** OBJECTIVE: have some assurance that accepted procedures are available for
the determination of the – STANDARD – and adherence to the procedures allows
comparability of results of analysis within a single laboratory and between labs

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A.O. No. 2006-0024

u RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE

ACCREDITATION OF LABORATORIES FOR
DRINKING WATER ANALYSIS

u to evaluate and monitor the quality of services

rendered by these water testing laboratories
nationwide through the implementation of these
rules and regulations in accordance with existing
policies and scientifically accepted practices

A.O. No. 2006-0024

u OBJECTIVE:
u To protect public health, safety, and welfare by
ensuring the accuracy, precision and reliability of
results generated by drinking water testing
laboratories through formulation and
enforcement of revised standard for
accreditation.

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A.O. No. 2006-0024

uTo implement Sec. 12, Chapter II of PD 856

(Code of Sanitation of the Philippines),
provides that examination of water must be
done only in private and government
laboratory facilities accredited by DOH

Philippine National
Standards for Drinking
Water of 2017

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PNSDW 2017
u To prescribe standards and procedures on drinking water quality to
protect public/ consumer’s health
u Apply to all drinking water service providers
u Gov’t and private developers and operators
u Bulk water suppliers
u Water refilling station operators
u Water vending machine operators
u Ice manufacturers
u All food establishments
u Residential, commercial, industrial and institutional buildings
u Water testing laboratories
u Health & sanitation authorities

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According to Annex B

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According to Annex B

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According to Annex B

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According to Annex B

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AO 2020-0031
July 17, 2020

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A.O. No. 2020-0031

u Revised Rules and Regulations

Governing the Accreditation of
Laboratories for Drinking Water
Analysis
u To update existing guidelines and established
technical procedures and attain the goal of
Universal Health Care Act

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A.O. No. 2020-0031

u OBJECTIVE

u This policy seeks to provide updated

guidelines on the accreditation of
laboratories for drinking water
analysis to be able to generate
accurate and reliable results.

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A.O. No. 2020-0031

u SCOPE AND COVERAGE

u AllDOH offices involved in enforcing drinking

water quality standards and to all accredited
LDWA nationwide.
u Coverage:government, national and local
agencies, private entities, persons and
enterprises engaged in testing drinking water
u LDWA for training, research and in-house
monitoring is not covered

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DEFINITION OF TERMS
u A. Applicant - refers to an individual, partnership, corporation or
association seeking a certificate of accreditation to maintain a
laboratory for drinking water analysis.

u B. Certificate of Accreditation (DOH-COA) — refers to a formal

authorization issued by the DOH to an individual, partnership,
corporation or association seeking to perform drinking water analysis in
compliance with the requirements prescribed in this Order. In this
Order, accreditation shall mean licensing.

u C. Laboratory for Drinking Water Analysis (LDWA)-refers to a facility

that performs any or combination of these analyses: microbiological,
physical, and chemical analysis, to determine the potability and safety
of drinking water.

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DEFINITION OF TERMS
u D. Maximum Allowable Level (MAL) — refers to the highest
level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking-water.

u E. Mandatory Parameters — refers to a list of minimum legally

enforceable core parameters offered by a laboratory for
drinking water analysis which are as follows: Lead, Nitrate,
Arsenic, Cadmium, color, turbidity, thermotolerant coliform
(E.coli), disinfectant residual, pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).

u F. Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW)-

refers to the bases for the standards for drinking-water quality,
water sampling, and examination and evaluation of results.

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DEFINITION OF TERMS
u G. Quality Manual -refers to documents that state the quality policy,
describe the quality system and quality procedures intended for the
overall planning and administration of activities, which affect the
quality of laboratory services.

u H. Quality Policy — refers to statements of intentions or desires of the

organization with respect to management of their quality system.

u I. Water Sample — refers to the collected drinking water sample

submitted for analysis.

u J. Water Analysis— refers to a testing procedure/s performed for the

determination of microbiological, physical, and chemical qualities of
drinking water

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GENERAL GUIDELINES
1. All LDWA shall secure a DOH-COA and must comply at all times with
the set regulatory standards.
2. The HFSRB and CHD-RLED shall exercise its regulatory function for
the initial and renewal issuance of the DOH-COA, respectively.
3. The testing for radiologic or radioactive contaminants in water
shall be regulated by the Department of Science and Technology —
Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST- PNRI) in accord to its
standard protocols.
4. The LDWA shall not perform any examinations or testing beyond
the accredited category.
5. The LDWA shall comply with the prescribed standards and
requirements listed in the assessment tool. (see Annex A)

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GENERAL GUIDELINES
6. At the DOH-Central Office, the Director IV, or in his/her
absence or unavailability or when delegated, the Director III of
HFSRB, shall approve the issuance of the DOH-COA of the
LDWA.

7. At the Center for Health Development, the Director IV, or in

his/her absence or unavailability or when delegated, the Assistant
Regional Director (ARD), shall approve the issuance of the DOH-
COA of the LDWA.

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CLASSIFICATIONS OF LDWA

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A. OWNERSHIP

u a. Government – operated and maintained

partially or wholly by the national, provincial,
city or municipal government, or other political
unit, or by any department, division, board or
agency thereof.
u b. Private – privately owned, established and
operated with funds through donation,
principal, investment or other means, by any
individual, corporation, association or
organization.

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B. INSTITUTIONAL CHARACTER

u a. Institution based — a laboratory that is located

within the premises and operates as part of a DOH
licensed health facility.

u b. Non-institution based — a laboratory that

operates independently and is not attached to any
DOH licensed health facility.

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C. SERVICE CAPABILITY

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TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

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PHYSICAL PLANT

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PHYSICAL PLANT

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PHYSICAL PLANT

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PERSONNEL

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PERSONNEL

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EQUIPMENT, INSTRUMENTS, REAGENTS

AND SUPPLIES

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ANALYTICAL METHODS

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QUALITY AND TECHNICAL MANUAL

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LABORATORY REPORT

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LABORATORY REPORT

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LABORATORY RECORDS

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LABORATORY RECORDS

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QUALITY MANAGEMENT

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PROFICIENCY TESTING

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OUTSOURCING

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CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION

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CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION

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CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION

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CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION

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APPLICATION PROCEDURES

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APPLICATION PROCEDURES

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APPLICATION PROCEDURES

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APPLICATION PROCEDURES

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MONITORING

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MONITORING

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VIOLATIONS AND SANCTIONS

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VIOLATIONS AND SANCTIONS

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VIOLATIONS AND SANCTIONS

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VIOLATIONS AND SANCTIONS

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VIOLATIONS AND SANCTIONS

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ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

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HFSRB

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CHD – Regulatory, Licensing, and

Enforcement Division

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NRL for Environmental, Occupational Health,

Toxicology and Micronutrient Assay (NRL-EOHTM)

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