A CEBU City councilor is urging for a review on the City’s water testing policy and fees, particularly on the involvement of a third-party tester that allegedly adds financial burden to local businesses.
In a phone interview on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, Councilor Alvin Arcilla said he submitted a resolution in the regular session last Tuesday, Aug. 5, seeking an executive session to investigate the practices of the Cebu City Health Department (CHD) of requiring local businesses to tap third-party water testers for a fee.
The councilor’s action follows complaints from local business owners, mostly engaged in refilling water stations, dormitories, restaurants, among others that were charged “unreasonable” fees.
Arcilla said that these complainants told him that the current CHD policy, which requires third-party private laboratory water testing to check if their water is potable before being issued a sanitary permit, creates an unnecessary financial burden.
“Why would they pass it on to a third-party [tester], considering that almost 90 percent of their water source is from MCWD (Metropolitan Cebu Water District),” said Arcilla.
A sanitation permit is required to renew or apply for a business permit.
Charges, compliance
In a letter Arcilla received from a concerned citizen, a complainant lamented the high cost of water testing. The fees reportedly range from P3,000 to P7,000 per testing per establishment.
This was in contrast to the existing ordinance that charges around P50 to P100 per sanitary permit.
He speculated that these charges might have caused some businesses and establishments to operate without business permits.
Arcilla said that he proposed that the City Government integrate the water testing, which the third-party has offered, directly into the CCHD’s services.
He said the CCHD offers two different water testing components, but a third one has been passed on to a third-party laboratory which is mandatory.
Arcilla said his resolution seeks to review several aspects of the policy. These include the process for accrediting and selecting third-party testers with the fees charged to businesses.
It also includes the testers’ compliance with Department of Health regulations and transparency standards.
The executive session of the City Council will include key officials from the CHD and the City Treasurer’s Office, and Business Permits and Licensing Office. The goal is to discuss the water testing system, its challenges, legal concerns and possible alternatives. / EHP