WOP supporting the creation of wastewater lab in Dominican Republic
In August 2020, CORAAVEGA (Corporación de Acueducto y Alcantarillado de La Vega), the operator from the Province of La Vega in the Dominican Republic, finalised construction and furnishing of an analytical laboratory for wastewater.
This creation and opening of the laboratory is one of the highlights of the Action Plan produced by the Dominican operator under a WOP that sought to build institutional capacity. The WOP took place over 2018-19 with the financial support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and under the WOP platform from Latin America and the Caribbean (WOP-LAC). The partnership was between CORAAVEGA and AySA (Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos), the water operator from Buenos Airea, Argentina.
The WOP exchanges took place during a field visit in Buenos Aires in November 2018 in which the technical team from CORAAVEGA, led by General Director Omar Beato, met with representatives from the departments of Water Quality; Security and Hygiene; Community Development; Sustainability; and Culture and Education from AySA. The visit of the CORAAVEGA team to the AySA treatment plant (Planta Depuradora Norte) contributed strongly to the planning, development, construction and management of the new laboratory in La Vega project. The contribution of the WOP to this project highlights the potential for peer exchange to identify goals through action planning, and support implementation.
The newly built laboratory has two levels and includes an electromechanical workshop, a chemical laboratory, a microbiological laboratory, kitchen, bathrooms and reception. The second floor features data storage room and four offices for heads of departments.
The chemical and microbiological laboratories are fully equipped allowing for the operator to conduct key analyses as required by local environmental standards for the treatment of wastewater, most notably testing for: BOD, COD, dissolved oxygen, residual chlorine, among others. This increased technical and human capacity will seek to increase the quality of wastewater treatment and discharge in the city of La Vega.
