LGU-run facilities begin water safety plan drafting phase two

Representatives of the three local government units with a government-run water facility in Negros Occidental commenced the 2nd phase of the Water Safety Plan (WSP) three-day drafting workshop on Tuesday, August 29, at the Consuelo Alger Community Center in San Carlos City.

Running until today, Aug. 31, among the participants are employees of the City Waterworks Department, City Health Department, City Planning and Development Coordinator's Office, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and City Environment Management Office of San Carlos City and the Municipalities of Calatrava and Pontevedra, made possible by the Safe Water Project of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the provincial government of Negros Occidental.

Medical Specialist II of San Carlos City Hospital and TWG Water Safety Plan Chair Dr. Mary Genevieve Montaño said the workshop is beneficial in achieving a functional and long-term effect on the community.

Resource persons and USAID Safe Water Project representatives Rachel Beja and Justin Briones said the workshop on modules 3 to 6 focuses on identifying hazard/hazardous events, determining existing control measures, assessing related risks to water safety to determine if improvements are needed, devising an improvement plan that is responsive to the assessment process results, and installing an operational monitoring plan.

The participants also reviewed their outputs during their previous workshop last July 25 to 27 which focused on WSP team composition and water supply system description facilitated by Beja, Briones, and Carla Quivis of the USAID Safe Water Project.

Beja emphasized the importance of functions directly related to each WSP team composition and mandatory parameters for quality drinking water.

Provincial Health Office of Negros Occidental Medical Cluster Head Dr. Rowel Gerzon and Sanitation Inspector IV Marilyn Ostan also aided in the workshop.

Said participants will undergo the final workshop comprised of 5 modules before the participating LGUs create their respective WSPs. (PR)