CHO advises Toril residents to boil drinking water amid reports of water contamination

Quoting the reports from iFM 93.9 Davao, Lopez said,  residents in the meantime should use mineral water for drinking and cooking.

His advice came after some residents in  Toril area have experienced loose bowel movement (LBM) and have been admitted to hospitals since Friday (July 15).

He said these individuals  are currently confined in  the hospital due to vomiting. 

Lopez clarified that only in the Toril area have cases of LBM and there are no cases reported in the Matina area.

He said the CHO will conduct on Monday (July 18) a water sampling as well as Rectal swabbing to the affected patients in Toril to determine what bacteria causing waterborne disease.

Meanwhile, the Davao City Water District (DCWD) assures its customers that their water sources are safe.

In its statement released Sunday morning, DCWD said, they immediately double-checked all of its water sources in the affected areas following the information on the high LBM cases from Matina to Toril areas.

DCWD said all their chlorination facilities are working 100% with chlorine residual within the normal limits (0.8 ppm). 

This residual is enough to inactivate bacteria causing waterborne diseases such as diarrhea. 

“In addition, DCWD is now conducting extensive water sampling and testing in its water distribution network serving the affected areas,” the statement said.

The water utility firm further said that DCWD has protocols in place to ensure that the quality of water it provides to the customers passes the parameters of the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW). 

It maintains the use of gas chlorine in controlled dosage to treat the water and ensure it is safe for consumption.

“While the source of the LBM cases is still undetermined, customers may boil the water before drinking as extra precaution,” the statement further said.