Water refilling stations and consistent water testing

If water testing results were placed in their place of business, more than half of water stations I have seen do not have these posted. This is exactly what happened in two barangays in Palawan, which partly contributed to the increase in acute gastritis cases in two barangays (Alfonso XII and Pinaglabanan). The Palawan Epidemiology, Surveillance and Statistics Unit reported that refilling stations there failed to comply with the regular (monthly, if I remember correctly) water testing for water-borne bacteria (e.g. Escherichia coli) and amoebas.

It was also from this observation that we decided to buy our own filtering system for home use.

However, since there are no reports of such cases in Cebu, then the public water system—the only source of water—is doing well in disinfecting their stocks.

Gastritis involves an inflammation of the stomach linings. It becomes acute when the inflammation appeared suddenly and is often associated with severe and unending pain. However, this can also be felt in short bursts per episode.

Vomiting, nausea and black stools are common in gastritis, but not diarrhea, which was common in the Palawan cases.

Thus, the cases in Palawan were most likely cases of gastroenteritis, contrary to news reports. Gastroenteritis, also known as “stomach flu,” involves the inflammation of the stomach and the intestines because the coli bacteria rarely confine themselves to the stomach. Moreover, vomiting and diarrhea are common symptoms in addition to stomach pain.

One of the most important health advantages in water refilling stations—if they are using the appropriate filtering system—is further screening out of harmful organisms, which survived the chlorinated condition in the public water systems.

Another important advantage is the removal of chlorine from your drinking water. Too much chlorine has been associated with cancer formation.

The real issue, however, is quality control of the filtered water, which is dependent on the quality control of the filtering system. If the filtering system is not assiduously checked and maintained, safety can be at risk.

Drinking filtered water is about paying for safety. If such safety is not assured, or the quality of “filtered” water is the same as the public water system, what, then, is the point of paying for more? Perhaps, a home water filtering system can be less expensive in the long run and is totally under your quality control.