Guidelines for the Operation & Monitoring of Drinking Water Production (RI/C&E/001/02-17)

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY SINKOR 4TH STREET, MONROVIA LIBERIA REGULATORY INSTRUMENT GUIDELINES FOR THE OPERATION & MONITORING OF DRINKING WATER PRODUCTION REGULATORY INSTRUMENT No. RI/C&E-001-02/17 REGULATORY INSTRUMENT ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY Instrument: Guidelines for the Operation & Monitoring of Drinking Water Production Instrument no: RI/C&E/001/02-17 Prepared by: EPA/IEIATRC Approved by: Management Team/Executive Director, EPA Effective date: 24 /03/2017 Environmental Protection Agency Guidelines for the Operation & Monitoring of Drinking Water Production Background The production of safe drinking water for public consumption has become a booming business for many people in Monrovia and around the country. The Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation which was established January 30, 1973 to generally manage all aspects of water supply within the Republic, currently does not have the capacity to produce enough water for the public. It is believed that water supply by the Corporation is just around 25% of the quantity needed by the City of Monrovia, lest we speak of the entire country. Consequently, most people obviously have no alternative but to rely on water made available by local businesses engaged in the production of water, especially sachet water. Water being part of the environment, falls within the regulatory authority of the Environment Protection Agency as enshrined in the 19th project category of the Environmental Impact Assessment Mandatory List of Annex I (Section 6) of the Environmental Protection & Management Law (EPML). Moreover, Section 35.1(a)(i) of the EMPL provides that the Agency shall, in consultation with the relevant Line Ministries responsible for water supply and use, establish criteria and procedures for the measurement of water quality and provide for minimum water quality standards for different uses including drinking water. In summary, the EPA is mandated by its creating ACT to regulate and closely coordinate and collaborate with the Ministry of Health and the Liberia Water & Sewer Corporation, the relevant government institutions such as the ministries of Commerce & Industry, Public Works, Lands Mines & Energy, to engage the Liberia Water Producers Association (LWPA) through its leadership for the improvement of the quality of drinking water, primarily the sachet water. The Agency’s initiation of the development of these guidelines do not mean pioneering in this direction, but rather, tapping into existing instruments which the Agency, along with other GOL stakeholders, equally participated in their development. Objectives The primary objective of these guidelines is to ensure that water produced for drinking is safe and meets all standards set by the Agency as required by the Environmental Protection & Management Law of Liberia. General Infrastructural Permitting Requirements Infrastructural facility for the production of safe drinking water must meet the following conditions at all times: a. Drawings and specifications of factory must be presented to the EPA for approval before commencement of construction; b. The walls of the facility must be structurally sound and suitable for the intended purpose and well painted enamel (oil) paint (e.g. concrete wall); c. Production area walls must be tiled at least five (5) high; d. The Production area floors must be titled or smoothly finished; e. The ceiling must be well painted; f. The work areas must be well ventilated; g. The facility must have on-site sanitary facilities (toilets, face basins, dressing room(s), garbage disposal facilities, etc.) In collaboration with relevant institutions, the Agency shall undertake or cause the following activities to be undertaken: a. Keep accurate database or registry of all water producing entities; b. Conduct routine physical assessment of all facilities for compliance purposes; c. Develop and maintain effective monitoring and auditing templates and checklists to ensure compliance with procedures and standards set by the Agency; d. Develop and conduct awareness and education programs for both producers and consumers; e. Maintain data storing system of relevant information; f. Maintain each and every data for a period of at least three (3) years; etc. For the operation and maintenance of a drinking water production facility, the entity must comply with the following conditions: a. Maintain current business registration; b. Prepare and submit to the Agency periodic (or when requested) an Environmental Operations Evaluation (IEE) or Environmental Management Plan (EMP) of the facility; c. Maintain a trained workforce on personal hygiene and the use of relevant Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); d. All infrastructure, equipment and materials for use in the production circle must be free of any ozone depletion substances. e. The facility must have mini testing equipment or an agreement with accredited laboratory to conduct routine water testing; f. Entity must have the schematic chain of production, water quality control and standards; g. The facility must have the following installed: 1. at least three (3) production machines; 2. filtration system that must include carbon; 3. UV light at the end of filtration line as part of the treatment process; etc. Monitoring Requirement For purposes of monitoring of chemical usage, the entity must: 1. Establish self-environmental monitoring and reporting system; 2. Comply with standard requirement for the importation of any chemical; 3. Submit to the EPA all technical data on the abstraction point of water (eg. borehole, log and complete information on pipe borne conduit, including the types of pipes); 4. Ensure that final water product is well labeled (business name, address, brand name, storage information, batch number, production and expiration dates and contact information) 5. Submit quarterly water quality test results to the EPA; 6. Clean storage tank after every seven (7) day period; 7. If source of water is well, the well must be properly treated and tested after every 4,000 gallons; 8. Wells must be sealed off and the immediate surroundings kept clean. 9. Septic tanks, toilets, bathrooms and other hygiene facilities must be at least 100 feet (or reasonable distance) from the well; 10. Do back wash filtering at least twice monthly; 11. If more than one water producing facilitates are operating in the same area, a reasonable distance (to be determined by the EPA) must be in between to avoid the accumulation of wastewater. 12. Submit to any other requirements, including frequent testing (where necessary) of water products and processing plants as determined by the EPA; etc. Implementing Department The Department of Compliance & Enforcement is responsible for the full implementation of this regulation. The Department is also responsible to communicate the contents of this Policy to all stakeholders to ensure compliance and implementation. The leadership of the Liberia Water Producer Association (LWPA) is paramount in terms of stakeholder collaboration. The EPA is willing to form a strong partnership with the LWPA for information sharing and enforcement of this regulation. Amendment Any provision of this regulation may be amended or altered upon the Executive Director’s approval of suggestion from the Management Team for such amendment accompanied by the rationale necessitating the revision. Effective Date This Regulation shall become effective upon approval by the Executive Director of the EPA and publication of same in any major national daily newspaper for at least three consecutive days. Binding Force This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable to all aspects of drinking water production. Done, on this 24th of March, A.D. 2017, in the City of Monrovia, Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia. Approved: Anyaa Vohiri Executor Director ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY