Arsenic in Philippine Groundwaters: Exploring Governance Limitations for Drinking Water Safety

Abstract

Arsenic in drinking water is an emerging environmental health threat in the Philippines. Local studies investigate the occurrence and health effects of the hazard, but governance dimensions remain understudied. This study explores why some consumers remain vulnerable to arsenic poisoning despite the existence of a water institution framework for groundwater management and drinking water safety. The framework for arsenic risk management for safe drinking water in the Philippines was mapped from “source-to-sip”. Textual analysis of pertinent legal documents and official reports; and transcripts of a roundtable discussion and minutes of meetings with national agency representatives were undertaken with regard to the principles of integrated groundwater management and the human right to safe drinking water. Findings suggest that existing programs and policy instruments for groundwater quality monitoring provide insufficient information for early arsenic detection. Furthermore, while the country’s legal framework supports functions for arsenic risk mitigation for formal water supplies, the current regulatory approach fails to protect self-provisioning households as they access water from informal systems uncovered by water quality surveillance. Enhancing groundwater quality monitoring in suspected arsenic hotspots to alert self-provisioning households will promote a self-protection policy so they can shift to safer sources of drinking water.