UNICEF Grants Php1.6-M Water Analyzer to Iloilo

(PNA) -– The United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has provided this province with nine units of water quality analyzers to ensure potable safe water from communal faucets in areas stricken by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013.

Now in General Services Office for inspection, the equipment has portable incubator and multi-parameter test kit that has the capacity to detect Escherichia coli and total coliform in water samples.

Prior to its delivery, the Provincial Health Office is using the water quality analyzers from World Health Organization to test the safety of water in deep wells and water systems in 5th District.

The 5th District is composed of the towns of Ajuy, Balasan, Batad, Barotac Viejo, Carles, Concepcion, San Dionisio, San Rafael, Lemery and Sara.

Sanitary Inspector II Merlin Sustento said the water quality analyzers from UNICEF will be used by the Municipalities of Igbaras, Sta. Barbara, Bingawan, Banate, Balasan, Leon, Mina and Passi City.

Meanwhile, Engr. Rene Margarico of Provincial Planning and Development Office is grateful that the province now owns a water quality analyzer.

“That equipment is very important. Before we construct a water system, the source is first tested using a water quality analyzer,” said Margarico, also the Technical Coordinator for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project.

Under the project, 255 water systems have been established to improve the access of potable water in 212 impoverished villages here since 2010. The beneficiaries of these water systems were formed into an association to ensure its sustainability.

“These associations are paying private laboratories to test the quality their water in a regular basis. But now that we have the capacity, this may be a good opportunity for them,” he said.

The water from deep wells (Level 1) must be subject to test at least twice a year or every six months. For those with ferrocement tanks (Level II), the test is held quarterly or four times a year and for those with distribution lines (Level III), its held monthly.

Each test costs Php750.00 in private laboratories. (PNA) FPV/AJP/JANEPOMOCENO/VLO