Reverse Linkage

72 REVERSE LINKAGE areas. In particular, there has been need to avoid cross- contamination due to incompatible activities caused by the layout of the analysis rooms. The ONEA has made the necessary changes and undertaken to build a more modern laboratory to comply with accreditation requirements. The second intervention concerned the validation of analy- sis methods through the integration of a quality assurance approach. To achieve the institutional power to enable the laboratory to secure investments in improvement, there must first be an assurance and consistent credibility to the labora- tory’s analysis. So, the laboratory has, through this project, followed analytical methods that have been validated such that they are repeatable and reproducible, with tolerable thresholds of uncertainty, to ensure that timely decisions aremade, public health problems avoided, and the cost of analysis optimised. After the establishment of the entire regulatory and quality assurance system, the central laboratory was able to check its own performance by participating in aptitude tests along with other laboratories, organized by the ONEE, on the evaluation of: • Physico-chemical parameters, including pH, conduc- tivity, turbidity, alkalinity, nitrates, nitrite, calcium, magnesium, and total hardness • Microbiological parameters, including total coliforms, cotolerant coliforms, and E-coli • Pollution from BOD5 and DCO. Capacity building of ONEA staff ONEE officials ensured close supervision of the person- nel involved in all stages of water treatment and quality control, sharing their know-how throughout the initiative. The project was conducted in an atmosphere that strength- ened collaboration and laid the groundwork that led to the improvement of water quality distributed by the ONEA in Ouagadougou. Conclusion The project enabled ONEA to improve its monitoring of the quality of raw water in the Ziga and Loumbila dams and of the treated water. Laboratory practices have been improved and staff are satisfied with their ability to measure water quality and understand risks. The newly established proce- dures for water catchment and accurate testing have produced very good results. The only difficulty with the project was the failure to obtain authorisation to import silver carp for control against the consequences of eutrophication. Delegates visit a wastewater treatment plant in Rabat Image: ONEA