A national workshop to develop water quality standards and monitoring
guidelines has taken place in Dili. The process
started in 2008 where a short-term consultant was hired to assess water
quality situation and consult various stakeholders in the development of
guidelines. Subsequently, in 2009 a water quality study (supported by WHO) was
conducted in 4 districts of Timor-Leste to
understand the water quality problem and to identify the water quality on
various parameters that are of concern of the country. The water quality
study draft report and the draft guidelines were discussed and review during
the National workshop. The Regional
Advisor for Water and Sanitation from SEARO was also participating in this
workshop.
About 35 participants from various agencies participated in the
workshop. The agencies included
National Directorate for Water and Sanitation (under Minister of Infra
Structure), Environmental Health Department of Ministry of Health, National
Health Laboratory, Ministry of Trade and Commerce Districts Health Offices,
UNICEF, NGO and INGOs working in water and
sanitation, and Rural Water Sanitation Project.
The participants deliberated very actively on the two drafts. It was
decided that 14 physical, chemical and bacteriological parameters will
included in the monitoring guideline. Frequency for water quality testing for
rural and urban system and the need to conduct regular sanitary inspection
for water supply systems to identify the causes of water contamination were
also discussed and agreed. A two-day workshop was conducted to discusswater
quality standard for Timor-Leste.
