Clean water bill filed
A BILL seeking to improve access to clean water by fast-tracking the construction of potable water supply systems nationwide has been filed at the House of Representatives.
House Bill (HB) No. 10531 by Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee, which seeks to create a clean water system within three years, tasks the National Water Resources Board to prioritize areas with health problems brought by the lack of access to potable water.
“The consequences of insufficient access to clean and safe water adversely impacts public health,” he said in the bill’s explanatory note. “Contaminated water sources can lead to waterborne diseases and other health risks.”
The congressman also said dirty water hinders economic development and worsens social inequalities because communities without reliable access to clean water struggle to meet their basic needs and pursue livelihood opportunities.
About 40 million Filipinos, most of them living in island and rural communities, have no access to clean water, Mr. Lee said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio