The DEWATS team of the Lao Institute for Renewable Energy (LIRE) had the pleasure of receiving a two-day training on the Electronic Data Management System (EDMS) and Quality Management System (QMS) from a BORDA –SEA (Southeast Asia) expert. The objective of the training, which took place on July 13 and 14 in Vientiane, Laos, was to introduce the latest version of the BORDA Quality Management System (QMS). The QMS defines the technical steps of DEWATS implementation, as well as the new Electronic Data Management System developed by BORDA SEA and Indonesian network-partners. The data bank comprises relevant files and documents from all Southeast Asian partners. This is especially helpful for the LIRE-DEWATS Team since the DEWATS programme is still new in Laos.

The first day of training was carried out at the LIRE office and the team learnt about the EDMS, database, R/D data as well as how to monitor activities. That knowledge was then applied during a simulation at the DEWATS project site at the Faculty of Engineering (FOE) the following day. The DEWATS plant, which was the first to be implemented in the Lao PDR, was monitored using the new QMS detailed monitoring form. During the simulation, the engineers as well as the community facilitator received instructions on how to conduct the monitoring. The whole DEWATS plant, from settler to effluent discharge, was checked by the team.

The DEWATS plant was handed over to the dormitory residents of FOE on March 31, 2010. The operator, who was selected by DEWATS users at the dormitory, was interviewed about the operation and maintenance of the DEWATS plant. After the monitoring simulation at the project site, a discussion and evaluation of the monitoring activity completed the whole training workshop.

The LIRE-DEWATS Team is glad to have received the training as it equipped them with the knowledge on how to document and monitor future DEWATS projects in the Lao PDR.