Water refilling stations with no permits warned

CEBU CITY --The Department of Health (DOH) in Central Visayas warned consumers not to buy drinking water from water refilling stations that have no sanitation permit.

John Ray Labandero of the regional DOH’s Regulation Licensing Enforcement Division said, his office is doing a survey of water refilling stations in the region to ensure there is no water contamination in their areas.

“We do site visits and water testing before we issue an operational permit based on the sanitary survey we conducted,” Labandero said.

Refilling stations are inspected every year to check for contamination and determine if they have septic tanks.

It is very important to know if the water for drinking is safe because contaminated water could affect one’s health, especially kidneys, Labandero said.

As DOH celebrates the National Kidney Month with the theme “Kalusugan ng Bato’y Makakamtan sa Pag-aalaga ng Kalikasan” that focuses on the impact of the environment on renal diseases, Dr. Genevieve Dahay said that safe water will protect a person from kidney complications.

Dahay said fluid is important to the body, and the intake of more fluids will help avoid kidney problems or infections.

But she cautioned people who already have kidney problems they must take fewer fluids.

Dahay said there were 10 persons who underwent a kidney transplant in Central Visayas out of the 500 kidney patients nationwide.

Contaminated water is one of the common reasons why people experience kidney failure and diseases, Dahay said.

The overuse of pain relievers and intake of herbal medicines could also be factors behind kidney complications.

“It will truly lead you to financial problem and it will also affect your relationship to your family members because kidney transplant is costly,” Dahay said.

A kidney transplant costs R600,000, including hospital fees, laboratory exams and professional fees, she said.

Kidney diseases are preventable, Dahay said. Fluid intake is very essential to the body that is why people need to make sure the water they drink is clean and safe, Dahay said. (With reports from Larnie L. Bacalando/PIT Intern)