SHUKALB Offers the D-LeaP “Water Safety Plan and Crisis Management” Program to Three more Water Utilities

SHUKALB has started offering the D-LeaP Water Safety Plan and Crisis Management (WSP&CM) Program to the water utilities of Durres, Shkoder, and Fier. This activity is a continuation of the initial roll out of the program, as part of which five water utilities (Lushnje, Gramsh, Patos, Berat-Kucove, and Belsh) received training and were able to develop their own Water Safety Plans and Crisis Management Plans. The activity is being supported by IAWD and RCDN.

During May 2022, SHUKALB organized two sessions of on-site training at the water supply and sewerage utilities of Durres, Fier and Shkoder. SHUKALB team was composed by the lead trainer Migena Kukli, co trainer Elton Hasanaj, the Executive Director Elisabeta Poçi, and Franceska Troka, Program, Coordinator.

These meetings were attended in part by Water Utility Directors, and Deputy Director, while the team of the water utilities that was actively engaged in the training and practical work included: Heads of Technical Department, Commercial Directors, HR Managers, Heads of Sales Department, SCADA / GIS Department Coordinator, Sewerage Manager, Laboratory Specialists, Specialists from the Sales Office, Specialists from the Consumer Protection Office, Media Specialists, Electrical and Hydrotechnic Engineers.

The aim of the first training sessions, organized during 9-11 May 2022, was to describe the elements of the water supply system and risk analysis, as well as to start the drafting of the Water Safety and Crisis Management Plan. Participants were introduced to the program objectives, overall work plan, as well as expectations on their role and involvement in the program. As part of the agenda, the trainers presented the concepts and elements of the Water Safety Plan (WSP) and Crisis Management Plan (CMP).

In addition, the participants under the guidance of the trainers, engaged in practical exercises and discussions on the concepts of WSP and CMP.

The 2^nd on-site training workshops were organized during 25-27 May 2022 and as part of the training the participants were introduced to the Control Improvement Plan and the Effectiveness Monitoring Plan of the Water Safety Plan. Half of the training was dedicated to a site visit to critical points of the water supply system, as identified by the respective staff of water utilities. These visits were valuable as they complement the process of system description and the risk analysis, performed in class by the participants under the guidance of the trainers.

SHUKALB has planned two more sessions of on-site trainings for the 3 participating water utilities during the upcoming weeks, and by the end of the Program, each water utility will have developed standard Water Safety Plan and Crisis Management Plan.

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