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Status of implementation of Quality Management System (QMS) based on ISO 9001:200 in NWSC-Uganda
Posted
on 2009-02-01
Introduction of the specific standards for water and sanitation ISO 24510-1-2 in Uganda.
National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) is a parastatal organisation responsible for water supply and sewerage services in the major urban centres of Uganda. NWSC so far operates in 23 towns. NWSC started implementing Quality Management System (QMS) according to International Standard Organization (ISO) as a management tool in 2003 when Jinja and Tororo Areas got ISO 9001:2000 certified. So far, nine NWSC Areas, including Kampala Water, which constitutes over 60% of NWSC business, are ISO certified.
ISO Secretariat came up with specific standards for water and sanitation services. The draft standards, which are still in the “testing” phase were introduced to the African continent this year under the auspices of the African Water Association (AfWA).
The first Training Workshop on the draft Standards was held in Rabat, Morocco, in May, 2007, targeting Francophone African countries. The second Training Workshop, meant for Anglophone African countries was held in July, 2007 at Hotel Africana, Kampala, Uganda.
This Kampala ISO/TC 224 Workshop was coordinated by NWSC as the key stakeholder in the Water and Sanitation Sector in Uganda.
The ISO/TC 224 Standards are divided into three volumes namely;
• ISO 24510
Guidelines for the improvement and for the assessment of the service to users
• ISO 24511
Guidelines for the management of wastewater utilities and for the assessment of wastewater services
• ISO 24512
Guidelines for the management of drinking water utilities and for the assessment of drinking water services
During the Kampala Workshop, sites for testing of the draft standards were selected. These are Kampala (population >500,000), Gulu (population >100,000) and a group of towns in South Western Uganda namely; Rakai, Kalisizo, Lyantonde, Kyazanga, Kinoni and Mbirizi (population of about 50,000); whose water supply is managed by WSS Services, a private water operator.
One major activity on the road map for the testing of the standards is the mobilization of stakeholders and formation of a National Technical Committee for the testing process. In view of the above, a half-day National Stakeholders’ Workshop was organized and held for Friday, 7th September, 2007 at the NWSC Training Centre, Bugolobi.
The following were the institutions (11 in number) that were represented in the workshop:
National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), Uganda National Bureau of standards (UNBS), Directorate of Water Development (DWD) Directorate of Water Resources Management (DWRM), WSS Services Uganda Ltd, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Education and Sports, GTZ Reform of the Water Sector (RUWAS), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Kampala City Council (KCC) and Vinod Management Services Ltd. The number of participants was 34.
One of the key outputs of the workshop was nomination of an adhoc National Steering Committee of 5 members, which is organising the formal nomination and inauguration of the National Technical Mirror Committee.
The committee which will be drawn from all the key stakeholder institutions in the water and sanitation sector will be nominated under the guidance of the Executive Director, UNBS within the next one week. The committee once inaugurated shall, among other duties, be responsible for making a timetable for the testing of the draft standards, coordinating stakeholder participation and communication locally, regionally and internationally.
Christopher Kanyesigye
QUALITY CONTROL MANAGER (ISO Coordinator)
NATIONAL WATER AND SEWERAGE CORPORATION
E-mail: Christopher.Kanyesigye@nwsc.co.ug, chriskanye@yahoo.com
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