Chapter 9

Laws Governing water analysis

laboratories and their
implementing rules and
regulations
ACCREDITATION
AND VALIDITY
OF COA
ACCREDITATION AND VALIDITY OF COA

Accreditation
• A formal authorization issued by the DOH to an
individual, partnership, corporation, or association
seeing to perform drinking water analysis in
compliance with the requirements provided by the
DOH.
Laboratories of Drinking Water Analysis
• Required to register with the HFSRB
• All laboratories are also required to have COA to operate
• May be accredited for separate services depending on the service capability.
• Center for Health Development, responsible for the renewal of the accreditation
• The National Reference Laboratory shall also conduct proficiency testing, confirmatory
testing, and personal training relative to the accreditation of laboratories for drinking
water analysis. The NRL for drinking water analysis is the East Avenue Medical Center.
ACCREDITATION AND
VALIDITY OF COA
Validity of a Certificate of
Accreditation
• The certification of accreditation is valid for
2 years
ACCREDITATION AND
VALIDITY OF COA
Guidelines for Certificate of Accreditation
• COA is valid for 2 years and expires on the last day of the December. Failure to submit an application
for renewal of accreditation within 60 days of the expiration date will result in lapse of accreditation
and cancellation of registration.
• The COA granted cannot be assigned directly or indirectly to any party
• Separate COA is required for all laboratories or branches maintained in separate premises but operated
under the same management.
• The COA should be placed in an area that is readily visible to the public.
• A laboratory for drinking analysis laboratory that is a unit/section/division of a clinical laboratory is not
required to secure a separate COA. Hence, permission to perform an examination of drinking analysis
shall be included in the LTO of a clinical laboratory.
ACCREDITATION AND
VALIDITY OF COA
Applying for COA
• An applicant must first submit an application to the HFSRB or, in case of renewal, to
the CHD, accompanied by the current proficiency test result.
• HSFRB/CHD representative shall conduct an onsite survey to determine compliance
with the standards and technical requirements within 30 days from filing of application
• If the applicant complied with the requirements a COA will be issued, and a written
reports outlining the laboratories shall be provided.
• Application that is not processed within 60 days from filing shall be deemed granted
and a COA shall be issued.
SUPERVISION,
MANAGEMENT,
AND STAFFING
SUPERVISION, MANAGEMENT, AND STAFFING

WHO IS QUALIFIED TO SUPERVISE A LABORATORY FOR

DRINKING WATER ANALYSIS?
• Laboratories for drinking water analysis shall be under the direction and
supervision of a licensed sanitary engineer. 
• If the laboratory is attached to a licensed clinical laboratory, the clinical
pathologist who is licensed to supervise the laboratory must also supervise the
laboratory for drinking water analysis. 
• Licensed chemist, RMT, or registered pharmacist may provisionally supervise
its operation if there is no available licensed sanitary engineer. 
SUPERVISION, MANAGEMENT,
AND STAFFING
WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO BECOME AN ANALYST OF A
LABORATORY FOR DRINKING WATER ANALYSIS?
• The following professionals are qualified to take up the post of an analyst
in a laboratory for drinking analysis:
• Registered medical technologist
• Registered pharmacist
• Licensed chemist
• Microbiologist
SUPERVISION, MANAGEMENT,
AND STAFFING
Administrative order No. 31 S. 1979 – the only certain in all of the existing administrative orders regarding the
management and supervision of laboratories of drinking water analysis including qualified analysis.
• Carried out by a licensed sanitary engineer unless the laboratory is attached to a licensed clinical laboratory. 
• A clinical pathologist with license to supervise a laboratory must also operate the facility for drinking water
analysis.
• RMT, registered pharmacist, a licensed chemist, or a microbiologist is allowed to perform a specific analytical
service
• RMT, registered pharmacist, and microbiologist are qualified to carry out bacteriological and biological
analysis services
• Licensed chemist can carry out chemical and physical analysis 
• Examination of water samples for radiological quality shall be done by qualified staff at the Philippine Nuclear
Research Institute (PNRI).
Laboratory Reports
and records
Laboratory Reports and records
Who are the persons authorized to sign an official laboratory report?
• The analyst in charge of the official laboratory report and the head of the
laboratory are the only individuals authorized to sign the official water analysis
report
• The head of the laboratory and analyst must affix their actual signature to all
laboratory reports prior to issuance. However, the results of outsourced tests from
another accredited laboratory shall be attached to the original laboratory results. 
• Laboratory records shall be kept secure and confidential. Records shall also be
retained on the premises for a minimum of five years.
VIOLATIONS
AND PENAL
PROVISIONS
VIOLATIONS AND PENAL PROVISIONS
Who is tasked to enforce the provisions of the P.D. No.856 with respect to the registration of laboratories for drinking
water analysis and its implementing rules?
• The Secretary of Health, through the HFSRB, is charged with the responsibility of strictly enforcing the provisions of P.D.
No. 856, particularly for the registration of laboratories for drinking water and its implementing rules.
Violation of the rules and regulations of P.D. No. 856 relating to accreditation of laboratories of drinking water
analysis may result in the suspension or revocation of the COA.  The HFSRB or CHD may suspend or revoke the
COA based on the following grounds:
• Issuance of fraudulent water testing result
• Change in the ownership, location, and head of the laboratory or personnel without informing the HFSRB/CHD
• Refusal to allow survey or monitoring visits of the laboratory by the person/s authorized by the HFSRB/CHD at an
appropriate time
• Refusal to participate in the proficiency testing conducted by the NRL
• Any material false statement in the application
VIOLATIONS AND PENAL
PROVISIONS
•     If the laboratory is found violating these rules and regulations on a
monitoring visit, the HFSRB/CHD may immediately preventively suspend
the operation of the aforesaid laboratory for not more than 60 days.
•     Any laboratory for drinking water analysis or any of its personnel
aggrieved by the decision of the HFSRB/CHD may file a notice of appeal
to the Office of the Secretary of Health within 15 days after receipt of
notice of decision. The decision of the Secretary of Health is final and
executory. 
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